The Legend of END
by NocturnalSin666
Summary: AU/Timetravel, I created him for one purpose and one purpose only, and that was so that he could be my end, so that he could kill me and end my reign of terror. I made him into what he is, but he's grown into something far...darker than I could have ever imagined. I am not sure if I should feel proud or ashamed for he truly is, The END. Dark Powerful Natsu
1. Second Chance

**This is something that's been on my mind for quite some time now and I figured to release it. This will be very different from canon and you'll find out why as you read.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

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"_I am a monster that is unable to love, unworthy of affection, of attention, of friendship. Yet, you...you enthrall something in me...I am the End, but you are my Beginning, Erza Scarlet." **~Natsu Dragneel**_

**The Legend of E.N.D**

Prologue: Second Chance

_It is said the Earth, the planet that houses all of it's living inhabitants revolves around a set of laws and principles set forth at the dawn of it's creation. Rules set forth and cemented into the very fabric of reality that none dared to break. There were a rare few that did this, either brave, arrogant or just foolish enough to break those laws and in turn they all suffered the consequences of angering entities that went beyond mortal comprehension._

_These laws were universal, and to break them other wise meant fatal consequences for anyone, no mercy would be spared, blood would be shed and life's would be reaped by the reaper. Such was the way of things when one so foolishly broke one of these natural laws. It has been said, in ancient scripture, from a time long since gone, that entails a very descriptive scene of what should happen if such a law should be broken._

_The Heavens would be torn asunder, Hell would be unleashed upon mankind; the most foul and brutal dregs within it's fiery pits would feast upon the corpses of man as the gods watched on at the bloody savagery, the planet would be torn asunder by hundreds of natural disasters. Earthquakes would divert the continents and reawaken old sleeping volcanoes and destroy entire civilizations, tsunami's would flood entire cities and towns drowning and killing hundreds upon thousands of innocent life's. Hurricanes and Tornadoes would come down from the scarred heaven's with the full force of a scorned and wrathful god, tearing apart the planet. Sweeping across everything and picking up everything so it could be thrown into the heavens only to be crushed when they fell back down._

_Simply put, Armageddon._

_The Apocalypse, that is what would happen should one of these laws be broken, such was their importance to be kept in check. This is why mortals always perceived to keep a system built around keeping the natural order in balance, a system that revolved around these laws and it's workings. Because they all, instinctual or not, feared the Endwar, the end of all things, the Apocalypse that would bring about the eradication of their life's. It was self-preservation that made mankind as a whole never try and break these laws._

_And yet...history was doomed to repeat itself and in the worst scenario possible._

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''You doomed yourself the moment you chose to try and sacrifice yourself for these petty little fairies.'' spoke a man, his voice filled with nothing but disdain for him and disgust for the dead around him. Smoke rose high into the air, coloring the once bright blue sky black while multiple inferno's raged on all over the world. The roaring of demons, the screams of dying men and women and cries of children echoed in the air and was carried amongst the air waves.

''Ah~ Such a wonderful melody, does it not fill you with a sense of accomplishment?'' the man spoke again ending with a chuckle. His voice echoed with an untold amount of power that made the Heaven's themselves sunder, such was the raw power in his voice alone. His smoldering black orbs glanced toward the only other individual left alive amidst the battlefield, that at one point had been so lively, was now a giant crater of ash and dead bodies.

His eyes took in the appearance of the person, it was a young man who appeared to be 16 or 17 with a slightly tanned skin tone. He had a lean muscular physique with rosy pink spiky hair. Pink fringes cascaded over his face, but in-between his his bangs a pair of black orbs stared down at the blackened soil with a look of absolute contempt. A scarf, given unto him by his wayward father lay in tatters destroyed in the implosion. His clothing was in tatter's and was barely hanging onto his broken and beaten body.

Gashes and cuts marred his entire body, a fatal hole all the way through his stomach and out of his back was present allowing for a large of amount of blood to spill forth. The wound was so deep bone could be seen as well as ruptured organs, but that mattered little to the rosy haired man. No, the pain of his physical body paled in comparison to the emotional and mental turmoil that was roaring throughout his skull. Such was the pain that his claws, yes _claws_, clenched and dug into the dirt before he pounded his head into the ground.

''….S-stop...this...it can't!'' the man whimpered, tears welled up in his eyes as the pain began to overwhelm him. The sounds around him began to worsen his state of turmoil, the screams of the tortured and dying, the cries of innocent children, the roars of demons and the ripping of flesh and crunching of bone echoed through his sensitive ears. He tried to block out the horrific sounds, but he could not due to his own state of self-loathing and anguish.

The man who spoke didn't seem to show a shred of sympathy for him, infact he seemed to be disappointed in him from the small frown forming upon his face. ''Tsk, I see that pathetic mortal persona is still clinging on. No matter, it will only be a matter of time until you come to realize who you are, _what_ you are.'' he gave a hmph as the pink haired man gave a not so subtle growl of hatred, his eyes peered up from the ground to give a look of absolute hatred and loathing for the man standing above him.

He gnashed his canines, breaking a molar as he ripped out a animalistic snarl from his throat. ''_I am nothing like you bastards...''_

But the man merely raised an eyebrow, a smirk of amusement stretched amongst his deceptively handsome features before he kneeled down before the red haired man. ''Oh? But you are my dear friend, you may deny it now, you may even deny your history with me, our species and even our master, hell you can even deny your past life all you want. But reality is a cruel and unforgiving mistress, you are like us, our brother, our _lord_, our **God**!'' his voice smoke loud and proud, etched into his tone was a sense of pride that only a man of his stature could hold.

Than his smirk turned downright nasty when he saw the man give another growl before he spoke, ''You will come to understand, but let me hasten the progress, just look at the damage done, by _your_ hands no less. I doubt a human could cause so much carnage, so much sweet death such as this!'' he said stepping away and stretching out his arms out wide in a grandiose manner. And what he saw made the man's eyes snapped wide in shock and disbelief as he saw what had happened, what _he_ had done at the pinnacle of his power.

He didn't need to see the landscape to know, the entire continent had been ravaged by the release of his power, by the merging of his soul and the one torn from him when he was young. The land had been left charred and unclean. Dirtied by the unholy powers released from within him, his flames burnt away all life, turning mountains to dust in the implosion of his true power. The sky was swirling creating a maelstrom in the sky over him, caused by such an intense amount of power that ripped out of every part of his body. A storm was approaching as lightning streaked across the sky and rain began to pour from the sunder Heavens.

_No_, what he saw instead was the corpses laid strewn apart the battlefield, there was far too many to count, but all of them lay in the same position. Cold, unmoving and dead to the world, their cooling bodies lay in the soil and each one of their faces was forever seared into his brain. He struggled to speak, to say something, _anything_ but the words just wouldn't come out. All he managed was a chocked back sob at what he saw. The tears at this point fell, shame and guilt began to fill his entire body, the guilt was beginning to rip his soul apart at what he saw.

He struggled, ignoring the man above him entirely ad he crawled towards them, to the nearest of those that lay dead. He crawled, claws digging into soil and his body becoming dirty from the soil and ash. Desperation filled him as he raced towards them, hoping and praying for some small sliver of a chance that they were alive, for a moment he figured in the fleeting of his childish persona that this was some sort of twisted deranged nightmare. Yet when he reached them and his eyes landed upon the first of his many victims he let out strangled cry of terror.

This wasn't a nightmare...

It had been a horrible mistake to come near them...

Brown eyes stared back up at him, once filled with life were now glazed over forever dead to the world. Long dirty red tresses covered the face of whom he was looking at and seeing her alone shattered his already breaking heart, sobs wracked his body and was clenching his fists so hard blood began to pool into his claws.

''No...no...no...no not you...'' he dared to reach out to her, the woman who lay dead before him, her body was horribly burnt by the resulting explosion of his power. He held her though, feeling her cold body, no heartbeat or sign of breathing destroyed all hopes that she was alive. Tears fell from his face which splashed upon her cheeks as his body began to tremble horribly. Sobs left him in shuddering chocked gasps and he just pulled her close. His eyes glanced to the others and he saw the rest of them. His nakama, his friends, and loved ones all lay dead on the ground, burned or turned to complete ash by the release of his power.

It was a painful moment for him, every single one of dead bodies, their petrified faces of terror and horror was burned and branded into his eyes and soul. His very being was writhing in internal agony at what he was seeing, at what he had done due to his own choice. He sniffled and bent his head down, pushing his nose into the long tresses of the woman in his arms inhaling the last bit of her natural scent, memorizing it with his sensitive senses.

Than he made the mistake of looking at her face and seeing the faint tear streaks broke the last mental defense in him. She had, at her last moment had done what he promised to never let her do.

Erza Scarlet had died crying...killed by his hands, by his dirty filthy hands!

At that moment, Natsu Dragneel, adopted son of Igneel The Dragon King of Fire wept, screams of sorrow burst out from his chest as he cried for the loss of his nakama, the death of his entire guild, Fairy Tail. The very same guild he had come to see as his family, the ones he had sworn to protect above all else.

Only for them to be killed by his very own hands...

The irony was sweet to the man above him yet it was disgusting and unforgivable to Natsu.

_'Lucy, Gray, Old man, Wendy, Mira, Elfman, Lisanna, Laxus, Gildarts, Cana, Levy, Happy...Erza...they're dead...they're all dead...because of me...I killed them...'_ the thought tore him up in the inside as he realized all of them were dead because of him, because of his brashness and act without so much as a thought put into place.

But than...the man he so loathed spoke.

''I don't understand why you cry for them, human emotions are such a fickle thing simple to manipulate and easy to crush like fragile glass. Humans like them don't even have a long lifespan, they're inferior to us in every way, weak, pathetic, like ants. You shouldn't be crying Natsu, after all you should be rejoicing in you're rebirth.'' the man spoke undeterred by the sight before him. He wasn't effected, if anything he was content seeing the humans dead, they were annoying, annoying as gnats to a titan, but in the end simple weak humans.

Natsu's cries went silent before he gently tightened his hold on Erza, his body trembled in a feeling that was both foreign to him and yet oh so familiar with. The feeling disgusted him and yet at the same time made him feel as if he was welcoming back a long lost friend.

''Shut...up...''

''This is the result of your emergence, the persona that overgrown lizard implanted into you should be dying, and in it's place who you once were should come back. Take in what we Tartarus has done all in planning for your reawakening. You're own personal welcoming party, a gift from your fellow brothers and sisters.'' his voice was as poisonous as a Cobra and it only increased the feeling with Natsu more.

_'Brothers and sisters?!...We are NOT alike...I will sooner rip out my heart than see any of you're kind as family!'_ he thought with a sneer.

''Shut up...shut up...shut up!'' Natsu continued his voice raising octaves.

He merely chuckled before he snapped his fingers creating a throne like chair formed from the remaining bones of Natsu's comrades. Natsu saw this, watching in mute horror as the flesh and organs of those of his dead friends began to melt away revealing only skeletons which gathered up at the man's beck and call, forming a throne made of bones. Seeing this made that feeling reach the breaking point of no return as the man sat his filthy ass down upon the bones of his fallen nakama. The audacity of him was so great he held in his hand, the skull of his fellow Dragonslayer Wendy who had been like a little sister to him.

''Heh, it is amusing to see you know, Lord Zeref's most powerful creation, the one whose very existence so long ago made the Gods themselves quiver in terror. Reduced to this state, it's sad to be honest, that fire breathing lizard molded you into what he wanted you to be. Since he could not kill you he took the second best alternative, he stole you from Master Zeref, split your soul in half, cast the demon part of you into the Book of E.N.D. and took the other with him to raise. What a joke...'' he spoke, rolling the skull of Wendy Marvell in his hand.

_Snap!_

It happened so slowly and the man was caught unaware until he was far too late, Natsu went completely still his body froze and the bangs of his rosy pink hair shadowed his eyes. Slowly, he bent down and kissed Erza's forehead before lowering her upon the ground. All of his emotions, all of his feelings changed, grew, and molded together into the new foreign feeling that Natsu was slowly, but surely embracing.

''I'll see you soon...Erza...everyone...'' he muttered under his breath before he turned to face the man who had started all of this and what the man saw brought a wide smile to his face.

''There it is...the face of our lord, I would never forget such a face. Have you returned to us, master?'' he spoke hoping he was right.

He was wrong, horribly wrong.

Natsu's face was in one word _satanic_, demonic in every sense of the word, his eyes were glowing blood red scales of the darkest crimson began to surface on his face. His claws sharpened and grew and his teeth turned into fangs. He growled, snarled like a predator, his body lurched forward, bending forward Natsu released a deeper growl that surged froth from his chest.

**''No...''**

That was when the man's face turned into an expression of shock when he heard Natsu speak, his voice was no longer the same. It was deeper and much more rough, yet it boomed with a power that sent a shiver of dread up the man's spine. His bravado began to ebb away as changes continued on Natsu's body.

**''I...would sooner die than embrace what I once was...but for this one instance, for this single moment...I will happily take in what I once was and what I am now...''** he continued as his shadow began to change and morph into something that made the man before him take a step back. Some called Natsu something far worse than a dragon, a monster, a demon, a harbinger of chaos. And in the eyes of this man, the Demon King of Tartarus, Mard Geer, if he had heard those words he couldn't have agreed more.

For at that moment when he saw Natsu's form, he truly saw the bringer of death, the nightmarish power of Zeref's ultimate creation. An entity that was so powerful it could bring about the extinction of all of mankind. A monster that went beyond Demon standards, what he saw was in a whole league of its own. The hellish creature of darkness hissed and growled like a demon and yet glared with the ferocity that matched that of Acnologia itself.

And it utterly terrified Mard Geer who took a step back in fright.

''W-wait...''

**''JUST TO KILL YOU!''** Natsu ended with a deafening roar that carried so much power it broke the sound barrier and literally pierced the heavens. The initial shockwave was so strong it ripped the ground asunder and blew the man off his throne of bones and devastated the entire area. Strangely, Erza's corpse remained unharmed from Natsu's roar.

Than fire erupted from his demonic form, engulfing his body in the flames of Hell itself. His opened his mouth steam escaping him as the flames licked at his body and embraced him like a long lost lover, he embraced this feeling of power, of absolute ultimate power for this instance and this instance alone. He would use it all, all in one, to kill the who started all of this. If it wasn't for this guy and his guild of demons, none of this wouldn't have happened. Murderous rage built up, fury unlike anything he had ever felt before erupted from Natsu's form causing his flames to churn and burn with such intensity the climate was beginning to change and the atmosphere of the planet began to burn.

The flames of his hatred burned with fury and passion, rage fueled his once broken and near dead body. Adrenaline pumped through him, as his increasing health regeneration healed up his wounds at astonishing rates. Yet he didn't care, all he cared about was Mard Geer and that as it.

He hunched forth gripped his clawed calloused hands and ignited his hands ablaze, his once short spiky pink hair lengthened and billowed in the wind of his waving fire. Than he set his sights on him, eyes burning crimson, rage and hatred glowed in his eyes and at that moment, Mard Geer knew he was in fact in deep trouble.

''Wait...no this wasn't supposed to be how it was supposed to go...wait!'' Mard actually pleaded with Natsu, hoping against all hope that he could reawaken his old friend within Natsu, but it was long gone now. All that was in in place was Natsu Dragneel, a man born with a singular cause and filled with such hatred it could overshadow the Gods themselves.

**''I'll kill you...I'll rip you too pieces like the monster I am, and soon after I'll kill Zeref and end all of this. I'll freely go to Hell for my actions, but I'll be glad to take you bastards with me!''** and he reared back and roared one last time.

**''Now DIE MARD GEER!''** and in a flash of power Natsu crossed the distance faster than the speed of light, his body blazing in his fire and magical power, eyes flashing crimson while Mard Geer quickly put up his own defense. Yet his thorns did nothing to Natsu, and once he reached him, Natsu's hulking form crashed into Mard Geer and in a final roar of hatred and defiance they erupted in a sphere of destruction that expanded and obliterated everything in it's path.

And after that all Natsu saw was eternal oblivion...

_''No, I will not let you go out like this Natsu-kun!''_ the voice of a woman that sounded so familiar to him resounded within his own hell. It was gentle, filled with warmth, love and compassion yet the familiarity was so strong...

Than a bright golden light pierced his eternal darkness that was his oblivion disturbing him from his thoughts.

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Black eyes snapped wide open only to close just as fast as the one with those eyes let out a annoyed hiss as the bright ray of sunshine peaked through the forests. The boy grumbled profanities before he opened his eyes again so they could adjust to the sunlight. With his vision beginning to clear up, the boy sat up ignore the feeling of his stomach growling and the mild irritation of the birds chirping. Short rosy pink spiky hair moved in the path of his eyes and he pushed it away as he continued to stare at seemingly nothing in particular.

''That damn dream again...'' said, Natsu Dragneel who soon let the expression of a scowl form on his now 7 year old face. Questions still plagued his young mind as to how he ended up here, but he had more important matters to deal with.

One of which was just a few hours away...

Looking up, Natsu marched forth until he came upon a cliff overlooking the sea, and his eyes narrowed, peering out into the distance and soon he could see a small island formation. And the blurred image of a large foundation being made, a tower like-structure of sorts.

He remembered what this was, it's where he had nearly lost Erza the first time...

''The Tower of Heaven...'' the young boy muttered to himself in disdain, contempt washed over his face before began to trek down the cliff to reach a boat from a nearby village.

_'I don't know how I ended up here, back in time and as a kid no less, but I won't let this chance slip me by. I can change so much and undo so many of my mistakes, but the first of which is rescuing Erza from the damnable Tower.'_ Natsu thought with a scowl.

''I still haven't sorted out all of these memories of what I once was and what I am now, but one thing is for sure, I will _never_ let what happened in the future come to pass again. I will control this power and use it for my own means. I will protect my friends...even if I am unworthy of their friendship, I will still protect them with this hellish power of mine.'' he said to himself, narrowing his eyes as his nails lengthened into claws and the irises in his eyes turned into slits.

Than he looked, eyes peering at where the Tower of Heaven was being built and let out a snarl.

''I'm coming, Erza.''

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**Done! Finished this one fell swoop, I had some good inspiration from my own theories and dark fantasies of which I hope you all enjoyed.**

**If some of you are confused by this than let me explain a bit, what happened is a summary of what I think may or should happen somewhat in canon FT. What I mean is that Natsu is in fact E.N.D, Zeref's greatest creation. But in my version of this story, Mard Geer let loose the book of E.N.D on Natsu causing what you saw at the beginning.**

**I won't go into detail since it will be spoiling too much, but that's the gist of it.**

**Now Natsu is older than he is in canon so about 2 year's older than Erza.**


	2. Loss of Innocence and To be a Monster

**I'm in a very good mood right now, just got done watching Hercules starring Dwayne Johnson and once again he does his part perfectly. Especially since he was playing the part of the Son of Zeus, the Demi-God. I loved every moment and it got my blood pumping for combat.**

**So here ya go, good old fashioned combat, adventure and all around chaos created by yours truly. I even made this my longest chapter ever in my short time as an author so enjoy the length!**

**Reviews and criticism is very much appreciated, especially for this chapter's major length!**

**Hope you enjoy!**

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"_You enslave these innocent people, to serve you and work tirelessly for the rest of their life's. Pillaging their homes, killing and slaying whatever is in your path and ripping these people from their villages. To these children, you lot seem like monsters, but I'll be glad to show them and you what a true **monster** is capable of!" **~Natsu Dragneel**_

**The Legend of E.N.D.**

**Chapter 1: Loss of Innocence and To be a Monster**

Coal black eyes scanned the darkening horizon, watching, waiting, scoping out the terrain of where his task was to take place. Short spiky pink hair rustled in the breeze as the scent of sea water carried through his nostrils causing him to release a sigh. One Natsu Dragneel watched from his small boat the happenings of where the Tower of Heaven was being built. His boat rocked back and forth be kept it steady and hiding it inside some forestry from one of the nearby islands. The young time traveler sat watching from his position, with his heightened sense''s he was able to see clearly the guard's stationed all around the island and atop the tower's foundations.

He took note of them, stayed in his position for the past couple of hours watching their guard positions and how they switched at every hour. And with each passing hour he had to suppress himself from blindly charging in and taking out everyone, because every hour he knew Erza was suffering along with her friends. Each hour felt like an eternity to him and he wanted nothing more than to charge in, fire blazing and save her from the clutches of these bastards.

But he couldn't do it that way, he needed to think, and plan a way to maximize full efficiency of his abilities and save as many as he could with the least amount of casualties. He'd never been one to do this, this was usually for people like Erza or Old man Makarov. He was usually the one to charge in, being the full front assault type of guy, charging in without a moments hesitation. No plan, not taking the time to think, just going in fists ablaze.

_'But that's exactly how I ended up killing everyone the first time. I made a choice without no thought put into it and they paid the price for it.'_ the young Dragneel thought morbidly, his childish face formed into a scowl as he remembered the not so long ago incident that had happened in a future that no longer existed. He shut his eyes and shook his head to try and shake away those thoughts, but they insisted to stay and haunt him. Since he found himself waking up in this time just a week prior, the memories of what happened were still fresh in his mind. They haunted him when he was awake, and when he was asleep. Every waking moment he saw the consequences of his choice of trying to sacrifice himself to kill E.N.D. Only for his choice to cause the eradication of Fairy Tail and the death of his loved ones.

He hadn't had any sleep because of this, but he found that his body was able to keep going, something he supposed was due to what he was now. If he had been what he was prior to his merge he would have dropped dead where he stood. But his body seemed to not need sleep, one of the things he felt was because of his unique status now. However being plagued of what he had done every moment he so much as closed his eyes or drifted away in memory was probably worse than the lack of sleep.

He was disgusted with himself, sick and spiteful towards what he had done, he loathed himself for what he had done and the result of his choice. If he could have switched himself with his friends he would have done so in half the time it took a heart to beat. Just that they could survive and it that meant he would die, than so be it.

He was unworthy to be a Fairy Tail mage, he was unworthy of the friendship they gave him. He didn't deserve them, they didn't need a monster like him, they would be fine without him.

_'But that doesn't mean I won't protect them, even if I was the one to cause their death's I have the chance to protect them and this time I can do it without endangering them in the process.'_ he thought adamantly, the young time traveler had thought about it long and hard and ultimately came to this choice. He simply _refused_ to ever return to Fairy Tail, but that didn't mean he would not protect his former guild and the family that he grew up with. He just chose to do it in his own way and without endangering their life's as well.

He would deal with his own problems and leave them out of it, but Fairy Tail's enemies were his enemies and he would crush all of them before he lets harm come to them.

''But before I can do that I need to find my friends and point them in the right direction.'' he resolved to himself before he turned his gaze back to where the Tower of Heaven was being built. Narrowing his eyes, as black as the abyss itself Natsu let out a small growl of anger since he could smell the faint scent of one of his most precious loved ones inside that damnable place. He could smell her scent, something he doubted would ever change about her. But every moment he waited he knew she was suffering inside that place with her other friends.

He had to stop it...now!

''Don't worry Erza I'm coming...'' with that said Natsu left his boat hidden and dove into the water, among the changes he'd found within him, he no longer suffered from motion sickness which he praised whatever deity that watched over him for. Having felt blessed that he no longer suffered from a glaring weakness all Dragonslayers went through he was able to 'borrow' a boat for himself. He didn't want to take it too the island and risk alerting himself too early and so he used it as a way to stake out the island from afar before swimming to the island afterwards.

Being stealthy never was his forte, but this situation called for it...

And so he swam, it a good distance away and coupled with the fact he was a child again he would have normally be too exhausted. But due to the fact he was no longer mortal, he wasn't bound by those limitations. Which allowed him to reach the island without much effort, but once he reached the island he took to the surrounding tree's that still stood and had yet to be cut down for resource to build the Tower.

He jumped from branch to branch being mindful of alerting the guards, keeping his senses sharp and alert he until he stopped on a branch. He looked down and narrowed his eyes to see one of the guards, he kept himself still and waited for the guard rotation that should happened in the minute. Hours of watching this rotation allowed his prediction to be pretty accurate as another guard came up behind the other one watching from the cliffside.

''Oi, time to switch.'' the guard muttered and the one watching turned and gave a grunt. ''Meh right right, by the way has our latest batch of _workers_ become accustomed to their new homes?'' he spoke with a grin which was matched by the other guard who let out a laugh.

''Oh they sure have, of course we got a few _rebellious_ ones, especially this little brat of a redhead, but they learned real quick when the boss got a hold of them.'' he said making the other guard flinch a tad before letting out a chuckle.

''I almost feel bad for them then if the boss had to put them in their place.'' he said causing the guard to let out another laugh before speaking. ''True, but they should feel honored, after all they are all working as one to help bring back Lord Zeref.''

The guard nodded in turn, ''True true, I guess some just need a little _convincing_ to realize the honorable task that they've been granted.''

The guard just laughed, both of them completely oblivious to what awaited them as a pair of orbs that were once black as night were now smoldering crimson. Orbs of the darkest red pierced through the shadows of the forest, eyes that belonged to one Natsu Dragneel who clenched his hands and grinded his teeth. The way they spoke about people they were enslaving without so much as a sign of sympathy was pushing Natsu's rage past it's boiling point. The way they talked about them, as if they were nothing more than tools to be used made his hair spike up more than it usually was.

But when they spoke of a rebellious redhead he tried to control himself at this point but it was proving to be nearly impossible. There was only one redhead he knew of that resided in Tower of Heaven, a girl he grew up with alongside his rival and best friend Gray. A girl he had swore an oath to always protect and never let her cry again. The very same he fight tooth and nail, shed blood and risked death to save from her troubled past.

The very same girl he killed...

Black bled into a sinister crimson from the way they talked about her. Although, it sounded she had arrived at the tower not too long ago which he was grateful for. What they said about there supposed "Boss" made his skin crawl. If this bastard so much as laid a hand on her...

**Kill him! Show no mercy! Make these little ingrates bleed! MAKE THEM SCREAM!**

A voice so similar to his own only more rough and deeper roared from within the depths of his scarred soul and Natsu's instincts seemed to agree, within his crimson orbs his irises flickered into sharp demonic slits before canines lengthened into fangs. He had an inkling feeling of knowing who that voice was, but right now that was the least o his worries, right here, right now he was worried about Erza and all those that were suffering along with her.

_'Dead...they will die...'_ such thoughts were unbecoming of a Fairy Tail mage, it was a law amongst all Fiore that killing was strictly forbidden unless it was absolutely called for. Master Makarov had always told him and the guild that to kill as a Fairy Tail mage meant complete and total excommunication, that was the only true iron clad rule Fairy Tail truly had. And as he readied his hands Natsu gave a silent sigh as he made mentally made his choice.

_'I am no longer a Fairy Tail mage and I've swore to never to return to them. I am...a monster, a devil, undeserving of that type of friendship. No...now I'll kill to make sure the friends I remember in my heart can never be hurt again. This I swear!'_

Calming his breathing Natsu narrowed his eyes, coiled his muscles and sprung downwards upon the two unsuspecting guards.

They never saw it coming...

''AGH!''

''Oh god! What-what the hell wait...wait NO!''

**Splurch!**

A clawed hand pierced through the guard's chest blood dripping from his claws while bone and flesh coated his hands. Natsu did his best to ignore the disgust he felt build up within himself as he ripped his hand out, splashing blood against the ground and onto the tree's. He let the corpse of the guard fall onto his fellow dead companion who also had a equally sized hole through his heart. Seeing the sight the young 7 year old in body scowled in both disgust and anger before he turned away leaving his bloody hand unclean.

It would be getting dirty again anyway...

_'I can't use my magic not only because it would alert the others of my presence far too early, but I'm not sure how much it's changed after what I've become. Which means I'll need to rely on my hand-to-hand, not a problem with that.'_ he thought as he crawled through the forestry, inching closer and closer to the tower. Among other things, he learned his already impressive strength, speed, endurance and senses had seemed to sky rocket to levels that surpassed what he was originally capable of doing.

He never truly tested how strong he was, but he could impale, pierce and shatter boulders and even a mountain side with his fists and claws. And since he was more of a close combat type of guy, this suited him very well. But the downside proved to be very costly because should another person combat him they would be literally ripped to shreds due to the sharpness of his claws and titan-like strength.

It both scared him and, to his shame, _excited_ him.

That was his mindset as Natsu skulked around the forests around the foundations of where the Tower of Heaven was being built and along the way he killed every guard he came across. Not a single one escaped his eyes, killing them all in a similar manner as the first two. Quick and quiet, so he didn't alert the others in the tower. By the time he was done the sun was beginning to set and once he came out of the forests and before the entrance of the Tower he was for the lack of a better word.

_Unclean..._

His whole body was stained crimson, his clothes that was barely hanging onto his body were soaking wet in the sticky blood red substance of the life giving liquid that was blood. His hands dripped with the blood of his victim's, his long sharp claws stained red with the flesh and bone dug underneath his nails. All the while, his piercing red orbs tore through the darkness which soon narrowed upon the tower, no fear, no hesitation was in his eyes as Natsu stalked towards the tower.

What innocence in Natsu he had left had died he moment he killed those cultists, an innocence that he knew didn't exist in the memories of his old life and an innocence his foster father Igneel and Master Makarov tried so desperately to keep intact. It no longer existed in the boy and he didn't want it, a monster like himself had no need for such a thing His eyes were stained by the deaths of his family and his soul was scarred beyond repair.

Hearing the cries and moans of the slavers and slaves inside made the draconic pride with Natsu roar in anger, but his demonic blood whispered sweet words for him to go inside. Both his pride and blood urged him forth, making him take each step into the dark abyss that help his dear friend against her will. His blood boiled, his instincts screamed at him to wreak as much havoc as possible and...

**Kill them! Show them what a true monster is capable of! Send their souls to me! DO IT! DO IT! DO IT! KILL KILL KILL KILL THEM ALL!**

That very same voice yelled within his mind, encouraging him, pushing him forward and with each step his eyes glowed brighter and brighter until finally he closed the gates behind him. And as it did, Natsu's body was engulfed in darkness, completely hiding himself from the rest of eyes of the giant prison that was the Tower of Heaven.

The only thing you could see where Natsu stood was glowing red eyes with demonic slits that seemed to pierce the very soul.

**''I'm coming for you, Erza...''** the boy whispered in the darkness before he made his way forward, since he found himself inside he no longer needed to keep himself hidden. Now that the threat of lock down was gone since he was inside, he could wreak as much havoc as he so desperately wanted. As he made his way inside his eyes caught onto the many cells that kept the slaves inside and he saw many were asleep, but some were wide awake and some even saw him..

''Who is that kid?''

''Did he somehow get out of his cell?''

''Wait...something's not right...he's covered in blood...and his eyes...they're red!''

Natsu heard their comments, he could see the apprehension in their eyes and it shook him. He could sense it, he could smell their fear of him and of this tower, he bit his lip at that. But he need he'd have to get used to that type of reaction from people now, especially considering what he was now. However he masked his expression as he heard a couple of guards come near his location. Turning his head he saw them turn a corner and stop once they saw him just standing there, just looking at them.

''Oi oi~ How the hell did this brat get in the tower?'' one of the guards said, it was a squad of 5 each armored with a spear, sword, staff, a mace and another wielded a large battleaxe. But they all wore the most outlandish of clothing with bright colors, but they all shared one thing and that was a oval shaped crystal covering their eyes and nose as a mask of sorts.

Natsu simply kept staring at them with his glowing red eyes before the biggest of them all chuckled and swaggered his way towards the motionless boy. Lazily swinging his axe in a attempt to scare the child. It worked most of the time to scare rebellious children who would get back to work, and at times he'd used it to punish those that didn't do their job.

''Who cares how he got in, we just got ourselves a new worker. Now cmon kid, let's find you a nice warm-'' he reached toward Natsu who felt a bile of disgust as he saw the big meaty hand come near him. Just the thought of this bastard, _this piece of shit, _**this disgusting sack of flesh**; touching him made him feel filthy. The urge to wipe out this bastard from the face of existence became far too hard for him to ignore any longer. His thoughts became tainted, emotions of a darker persona swirled around in his head, cementing into him a feeling of nostalgia as a deathly edge flickered across his eyes and then he simply acted.

''Priso-**Crash!**'' the guard didn't even know it until a bare foot contacted with his head, and faster than the trained eye could follow Natsu swung his foot down bringing the guard down with him before slamming his head into the ground. The strength of it alone shook the prison as the stone floor cracked and cratered underneath Natsu's crushing power.

''Woah!'' the other guards let out a shout of surprise as the area shook violently as the place Natsu's slammed the guard formed a crater. The guard himself no longer had a head due to it having been crushed like a melon beneath Natsu's foot. Ignoring the death of the guard and the blood that was on his foot, Natsu turned his murderous gaze on the other guards before he reached out with his hand.

**''Burn you bastards...''**

Than fire erupted from his hand, but this was no ordinary fire, it was darker having a mixed shade of crimson, orange with streaks of blue and white flames. It erupted from Natsu's arm in a violent turbulence. Forming into a pillar of fiery destruction which carved its way towards the guards, such was it's heat it melted the cobblestone walls and flooring into puddles of lava as it reached the guards.

They didn't even have time to scream as the fire slammed into them with the force of a cannon, it incinerated them on the spot and blackened their skeletons on the spot.

''AHHHH!''

''What was that!''

''Oh my god!''

_''I'm scared...''_

These were among a few of the prisoners that were watching in awe and fright at what he'd done, but Natsu didn't care as his ears perked up and he sensed the rushed steps of more guards coming his way. He merely shifted his attention towards them as they came within his sight.

''An intruder! Kill the brat!'' one of them shouted in urgency, some began to channel their magic to hurl at the Dragneel.

But Natsu was much faster...

He vanished faster than it took the time to blink before he was upon the guards, fists ablaze and eyes glowing crimson with murderous intent clear as day.

None were escaping him, all those that caused Erza pained died _tonight!_

For a moment he sensed something try to probe his mind, but he gave an internal snarl at whatever it was as he continued his rampage.

* * *

Brown eyes snapped wide open in shock and terror before a small girl around the age of 7 or 8 took a few quick steps back. Her eyes began to dilate in fright as she wrapped her small arms around herself as she kept her eyes solely on the black orb before her. It was a moderated sized orb that sat on a pedestal. It was a basic communication lacrima crystal in every way, but for her it was a conduit for her unique powers.

The young girl however kept stepping away from the crystal though, frightened chills ran up and down her spine as the image of what she just saw painfully flashed within her mind. Small whimpers began to leave her as shameful tears began to leak out from her eyes, caused by the horrifying image of what she had just seen. Her shoulder length purple length fell over her face as she slid down onto the cobblestone floor.

''W-what in the name of Zeref was that?'' a young Ultear Milkovich cried out in fright, she sat alone in one of the top floors of the Tower and none dared to enter her room without fear of consequence. Usually consequence dealt by her hand or by the hand of her master, Hades. She felt the tower shake and rumble and let out another pitiful whimper when she heard it, thought it was long from her location it was there.

**''ROOOOAAARRR!''** a roar thundered up throughout the tower, thunderous and ferocious as a dragon, it ripped across the tower and echoed off it's walls. The sound ran along the sound waves and ran through her ears, to remind her of the intruder that was attacking the tower alone. To painfully remind her of the beast of a boy that had just arrived inside the tower, to make her relive that horrible experience of being under his glare.

''W-what is that... boy?'' Ultear muttered to herself, she had been warned beforehand by her master, Hades, of a disturbance closing in on the Tower and made her aware of it. So she had kept a close eye on whatever it was and she noted that whatever it was had reached the island. Than it started killing off the guards one by one until all the outer guards had been killed and once it came inside the tower.

All hell broke loose...

She used her memory projection on of the guards that were in the first levels and saw what he saw, the boy had closed the gates leading outside behind him. It was then she saw the boy attack without a moments hesitation, first killing the guard that tried to touch him by crushing his skull and cratering the cobblestone floor with just a reverse roundhouse kick and a stomp to add force. The strength of it alone shocked her since it was coming from a boy that didn't look much older than herself, but afterwards she saw him prove to do even more incredible, if not downright terrifying feats. He weaved and jumped high into the air, weaving fire at his fingertips and incinerating his enemies into ash or breaking his opponents with bone crushing force.

She got a good description of him, a boy of 7 year's of age with rosy pink spiky hair with a light tanned complexion. Crimson glowing eyes that still sent a shiver of fear down her spine, and sharp fangs and claws that didn't look anything that a human should have. His clothes barely hung from his body and he was bare foot. But blood coated every part of his body, and the way he seemed to kill all the guards without a shred of mercy.

It scared her there was no doubting that, the almost animalistic way he butchered them and incinerated them made her feel queasy. But the fierce determined expression on his face and the glare of his demonic red eyes also sent another feeling she couldn't describe down her spine.

It's why she found herself curious as to who this boy was so she tried to project herself into his mind when he attacked another squad of guards. She had thought with himself preoccupied she could use her magic to try and project his memories to her so she could find out who this boy was.

And that had been a horrible mistake on her part...

The very first thing she saw when she tried to enter his mind was darkness. A realm of jet black was what she saw, it was worse than staring at the abyss, it was just a void of darkness which threatened to snuff out all the light in existence and it actually seemed to come alive the moment she tried to add just a bit of force into probing his mind. Than the _fire_ came, it appeared, erupting with the force of a galactic supernova and it's heat had been so agonizing she truly felt as if her flesh was being melted and her bones were turning to ash. The fire came in so many colors that it was literally impossible for her to remember them all besides the color a rick and dark crimson.

But than, in the firestorm she saw it, the fire began to morph into a face and soon the darkness began to swirl into the flames creating a superstorm of red and black that threatened to consume her body and soul. And a second later the face formed completely and what she saw was something that made the stories Master Hades told her about the Demons of Zeref seem like mere playthings.

She saw the face of a true demonic being, the face of a most unholy creature, what Ultear saw...was the face of a _Devil._

**_''Begone little Witch!'' _**it simply _roared_ and she remembered being consumed in flames, the agonizing pain of those searing flames scorching her flesh, boiling her blood and turning her bones to dust in half the second for her to even scream. She wasn't sure if that was the boy or something else, but whatever it was it scared the living hell out of her.

Literally...

She wasn't prideful enough to admit she wasn't scared of that thing, not even Lord Hades could give off such a terrifying aura of pain and death as to what she just experienced. Whatever that was inside that boy's head utterly and literally terrified her to the point she was sure to have nightmares for year's on end because of it.

And yet...that boy...

The boy piqued her interest, she wished for nothing more than the revival of Zeref, to awaken the greatest Dark Mage known in all of ancient history. The one who enveloped the entire world in eternal darkness and drowned mankind in a sea of demons. For she felt he was the only one who could help ease her troubles of the soul. At one point she remembered Lord Hades,when she was very young, introduced her to a mere sample of Lord Zeref's power by one of his Book's that held one of his Demonic creations.

She felt that very essence of Zeref's dark power again, it made her body tremble and shiver in anxiety and also in anticipation. Even now she could feel the Tower resonate with that dark power of Zeref bursting forth from one single entity.

_That boy_...

A ruthless smile, not suited for a girl her age, formed on the young girls face as her interest peaked, ''Although you terrify me...you also deeply interest me, I wonder what your name is.''

**''RAAAGGHHH!''** another roar escaped the young boy and she could feel he had got up a few levels prior to a few minutes ago. His voice was strong as ever, his power boomed throughout the tower and made goosebumps appear on her skin as it made the tower tremble. Although the danger of the tower being destroyed was present, Lord Hades had stressed that the tower was merely a means to an end and could be salvageable given enough time. And it seemed it would with the way the Tower was starting to shake and crack, faintly she could hear one of it's support pillars begin to break and tumble down.

She could also hear the faint sound of cheering, more than likely the boy was freeing every single slave cell he saw as he made his way upwards. Usually the gates were locked all by a single lacrima system, but seeing his brute strength, he more than likely tore off the gates bare handed.

''That boy...although his goal seems somewhat clear, he definitely plans to bring this tower down with his own two hands. Hm, I may be able to work with this, let's see if my little _pet_ is ready to move.'' Ultear spoke and her expression was just a mask of cold ruthlessness. A cruel smirk befitting a demon appeared on her childlike face as she stood up and walked towards the orb, repairing the cracks resulting from the backlash of trying to enter that boys mind. She soon switched to another boy tied up in another chamber who was practically screaming bloody murder.

''Now why don't you meet our new guest, _Jellal_?''

* * *

As the chaos ensued, on the mid-tier floors of the currently in-construction tower, was another floor of prison cells. Each packed with prisoners, slaves taken from their homes and villages. Life's ruined by cultists and forced into slavery, there was no diversity in age groups. Each cell as men, women, children and even the elderly. Children having made to watch as their parents were brutally murdered and ripped away from their homes. Elders that could barely put much effort without hurting themselves in the process, it was a sickening and vile sight to see.

And it was among these prison cells, amongst the shaking of the tower, that one such prison cell housed the very person the intruder had come to save.

The sound of children crying resonated in the cell, but it was mostly blocked out by the sound of battle, the screams of dying men and cries of fear from other slaves on the lower levels. Inside the cell was a total of 6 prisoners 5 being children and the other being a much older man named Rob.

Being the oldest of his inmates, Rob showed a great deal of pity for the children he was imprisoned with, he had lived a long life and had no regrets about dying. He'd already paid his respect to his old teammates at Fairy Tail and he knew he'd die either by old age or by slavery. Either one, it was inevitable for him, but for children? That was a whole other matter altogether. They weren't even of the ripe age of 10 and they were forced into this hellish life.

_'These poor kids should be living and experiencing the freedom that they were born with, not locked up and forced into slavery like this. It's not right...if I only had a bit more magical power than this.'_ the old man frowned in frustration as he looked down at his shackled wrists, if these were normal shackles he would have been able to break out of them easily. However these were made with a certain magic absorbing lacrima that sucked any and all magic in his body. Leaving him with only a bare minimum to even feel let alone use.

He felt another rumble in his prison cell and the increased cries of a child made him close his eyes, and as if things couldn't get any worse. Someone or _something_ had busted into the tower and was currently battling the guards and from the blood curdling screams he guessed whatever it was, was winning. He wasn't sure if it was human at this point since it's battle was starting to disturb the tower in such a way that it was literally falling apart.

''It's okay Sho, don''t worry it's gonna be fine.'' Rob heard this and turned to see among the children was a girl who couldn't have been at least 5 year's old. He flinched from the wounds inflicted on her from the "Boss" of this tower, a punishment for trying to rebel only to end up being punished by the Taskmaster of the Tower and Head Cultist. She was barely wearing rags as clothing and had chocolate brown eyes and shoulder-length scarlet hair.

Her young body was covered in bandages, a couple of gashes and cuts from her punishment were still fresh, but they at least gave the girl some type of medical treatment before throwing her into the cell. That had been about a month ago, a month since she and the rest of those kids were brought to the tower and since than she had been trying to keep the other kids calm.

She was strong, Rob would give her that although pitied that other child that had been taken the moment he was brought into the tower, _Jellal,_ if his memory served him correctly was the name of the kid. He had been too rebellious, always trying to break out of his cell and getting into fights with the guards. It got the point he tried to plot an escape attempt only to end up failing and being taken away.

Where he wasn't sure, but they hadn't seen the kid since and that had been a week ago.

Feeling another rumble Rob closed his eyes and let out a sigh...

_'If there truly is a God, perhaps you can show some bit of mercy for these children?'_ he didn't really think his prayer would be answered. His religious faith wasn't really existent in his soul, only his love for his old nakama and guild.

So imagine his surprise when his prayer was answered only it wasn't a God that answered...

**Crash!**

''AGH!'' Rob's eyes widened and sat up as multiple amount of guards were literally flung from left to right before slamming into the cobblestone wall. The prison cell doors buckled as another guard was mysteriously flung into it causing them to creak.

''Ahh!'' Sho screamed in fright and hid behind the scarlet haired girl as the other children huddled up at her side whilst the girl herself was shaking, but tried to keep a steady hold of herself. She knew deep down that she needed to keep up a strong front, even if she herself was afraid of what was happening, she couldn't let the other kids see this.

But that strong front shattered as another guard was crawling towards their cell, heaving and vomiting as blood poured from where his legs _used to be_. His oval shaped mask was shattered revealing his completely terrified eyes to the kids and Rob. He reached out to them, weakly, whimpering, pleading in a gesture that screamed for aid.

''H-help...me...''

And suddenly a growl echoed from within the darkness and the legless guard's eyes widened in horror before a hand grabbed hold of his armor before he was dragged back into the darkness. ''No no no! Wait wait...wait I'm sorry I'm so sorry, please don't NOOO-''

**Splurch!**

And the screams went silent...

_'That's always a bad sign...'_ Rob thought, narrowing his eyes, his wrinkled face scrunching up into an expression of frustration. His old eyes peered into the darkness and suddenly he felt a cold chill go down his spine once he saw the blood beginning to pool and dribble down the cracks of the cobblestone, escaping from the darkness and allowing it to be seen by the children.

''Oh god...we're going to die...we're going to die...'' Sho whimpered in the corner as another girl his age, Millianna hugged into the red haired girls leg and turned her face away from the carnage. Two other children by the name of Wally and Simon were watching fearful eyes. All of them were waiting form something, anything to happen, because they all knew, on a instinctual level, that there was something in that dark corner and they knew whatever it was, was the very same thing that was attacking and killing these guards.

''Is it...the boogeyman?'' Millianna said, as ridiculous as it sounded, none of them could fault her for saying it because right now it truly felt like something akin to a child's worst nightmare come to life.

Only they weren't expecting what came out of the darkness...

Bloody bare feet walked along the cracked and bloody cobblestone, stepping over the corpses of the dead guards. Clothes equally tattered as their own hung from the body of a single boy of only 7 year's of age, all of their eye's widened, shock was evident in their faces as a boy with rosy pink spiky hair and ruby red eyes walked out from the darkness. Blood saturated every part of his body and was splattered among his face and hair. His hands were dripping in blood which seemed to only add more of a fear factor to his appearance.

''A-a kid?'' Wally sputtered in shock, his eyes like the rest were wide in shock when they saw the boy infront of their cell, seemingly unaffected with the all the blood that was on him. But when Sho saw him he broke into a trembling mess and began to cry from the almost devilish look in his eyes.

''H-he's scary...'' the poor boy whimpered

But among them the red haired girl stood defiantly before the boy who slowly turned to face them and it was as his eyes landed on her that the reddish glow in his eyes slowly began to vanish revealing a pair of onyx orbs. And it seemed as if realization dawned upon his face once he saw her, it was strange, at least to Rob who the most unnerved about to boy. It was almost like the boy knew the girl.

_'No...this is no boy...this isn't even a human, what is this creature?'_ the old man thought and he wasn't thinking this because of what the boy had done. There was no denying it that this was the sole reason the tower was in such a state of uproar. No, the reason he thought that was from the glow he saw in his eyes, he'd sensed something very familiar in the boy before in his younger days when he fought alongside his team as a Fairy Tail mage. That was no normal eternano he sensed in the boy, but of something far darker and dare he say... _Demonic?_

But to his immense confusion he saw the boy's tightened expression melted away, the cold, determined face of a killer all, but shattered when he seemingly saw the redhead in Rob's cell. And their mysterious savior finally spoke, coming up to their cell and seemingly staring at the girl and somehow reached for her.

_'It's can't be...she looks so much younger than how she told me it went. Did I arrive earlier before the revolt occurred?'_

''E-erza...is it you?'' he croaked, his voice was rough and was cracking with such a surprising amount of emotion that it surprised Rob. Especially when they saw tears begin to form at the corners of his eyes. The girl named Erza, no surname, as far as Rob knew looked shocked that this boy seemed to know her name and she even backed away from his hand. This seemed to make him frown and look away as if he was disgusted with himself before retracting his hand.

''...How-how do you know my name?'' Erza finally found the courage to speak, either through some deep seeded force of will or because she saw the immense amount of pain she saw flash in the boy's eyes when she stepped away from him. It was an instant, a single flash, but her eyes saw the pain was beyond excruciating, beyond whatever she had endured in her young 5 year's of life.

Natsu blinked, for a moment he tried to recollect himself, his mind was just in a state of turmoil now that he saw Erza again, although seeing her like this. Weak, timid and shy was nothing like the Erza he admired, cared for, _loved. _But he had to remind himself that his Erza no longer existed, murdered by his own hand and erased from existence. No, this Erza knew nothing about him nor did any of his other friends, he was a complete stranger to them.

And yet to see her alive again was enough to nearly make him drop to his knee's in relief, but he couldn't fall. Erza wasn't safe and by extension no one else was inside this damnable tower. His bloodlust was sated with the death of so many guards, he was pretty sure he killed the majority of them as he made his way up the tower. Along the way he freed every single slave in their prison cells and let the gates open for them on the first floor.

They were readying the boats now he just needed to free Erza and her friends and she could live her life without the pain she suffered in her first life. A life where she suffered and cried, a life where she lost her eye, was nearly killed by her old friend and _was_ killed by his own hand. A life where she wouldn't have him endangering her life at every given moment.

''….Nevermind, forget about it, anyway step back I'll free you all from this cell.'' he said and they all looked confused by that, but they froze when he grabbed hold of the cell doors and began to pull.

_Creeeeak!_

_'My god...'_ Rob thought in amazement as he saw the boy effortlessly began to pull the cell doors loose, breaking them from the cobblestone restrictions and bending them in the process as he ripped them off their hinges. It was a sight to see, truly, to see a 7 year old boy bend, break and rip off a prison cell door without much effort.

''….Woah...'' Millianna uttered from behind Erza's leg as she and the rest of the children watched in amazement as their freedom was, but a short few pulls away. Natsu kept pulling and pulling, yet for a moment he glanced to Erza and another flash of pain appear in his eyes. She caught this, but he paid more attention to her surroundings and it seemed to hasten his progress as he pulled harder and more fierce.

''You will be free...I swear it!'' he yelled with such ferocity it actually made a shiver run down their spines at how determined he was to free them from their slavery.

So preoccupied with his objective, coupled with the fact of his emotional turmoil of seeing Erza again made Natsu's own sense of awareness dumbed down. Which caused him to miss the shadow that was coming to his side. But the kids saw and Erza shouted, ''Watch out!''

''Huh?'' black eyes widened when he saw Erza yelling at him before he suddenly felt the presence coming up behind him and spun on his heels, and just outside the corner of his vision he saw a flash of blue hair.

_Grooan!_

The prison cell doors bent and groan in the opposite direction, exactly where Natsu once stood. He looked to see his attacker had his arm outstretched to try and pulverize him with whatever magic he was using. And when he saw his attacker he felt himself hesitate.

''...Jellal...'' the young time traveler spoke in shock as he gazed back into the crazed demented face of a boy around 6 year's old. There was no semblance of sanity in his eyes at this point, only a maddening gleam of pure insanity flashed in his eyes. Yet another strange occurrence presented itself before him, from what Erza had told him, Jellal hadn't been taken away until before the revolt happened. So why was it that he seemed to have already been through that torturous process.

_'There has to be a word for this...what was it Levy called it, Cause and Effect? Did my arrival change how things went here?'_

Gritting his teeth, Natsu observed Jellal for a moment, there was no doubt that he was put through whatever changed him due to the amount of deep gashes and lacerations on his small body. Along the red glyph-like marking over his right eye. Natsu didn't want to hurt Jellal though because although he held a deep grudge towards him for a great amount of time for hurting and nearly killing Erza, he'd forgiven him after he proved himself to him multiple times to have retained his sanity. He couldn't just-

''Why do you try and save these worthless maggots? They are _nothing_, but tools to be used and discarded. Plenty more can be found and useless ones can be discarded to make room for new ones.'' Jellal spoke in a voice that was his own and yet was unlike his own. And his words made Natsu's blood run cold. The way he spoke about these kids, about Erza, _his Erza._

''_Oi..._'' Natsu gave him a simple warning, but Jellal gave a simple minded grin before he reached out with his hand and used the powers bestowed upon him by being possessed by "Zeref" and clenched his hand slightly.

''Ugh!''

Hearing the gasp of shock and fear, Natsu sun his gaze to see Erza being lifted into the air by an invisible force, her tiny little hands were trying and failing to reach for whatever it was that was gripping her small neck. Yet it was in vain, despite her attempts to claw at whatever it was proved to be futile, as the hold Jellal had on her was as strong as steel. The sight practically made Natsu's blood freeze up in his veins and the cries of fear and shock of Erza's friends were blocked out by his very own heartbeat.

_Thump...thump...thump...thump..thump..thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpTHUMPTHUMP!_

**Kill him!**

The voice boomed within the depths of his mind and Natsu's head drooped, his mouth quivered before fangs began to take the place of his pearly whites. His bloody hands began to slowly transform back into claws. His body began to twitch uncontrollably as he saw his fear friend in such situation, her life hanged in balance and all because some twisted boy was beyond the point of saving!

**Murder him!**

_'There...is no salvation for him...remember Natsu, he isn't the Jellal you used to know and doesn't seem to be known by Erza either...what's stopping me?'_

**Crush this little maggot! Rip out his entrails and feast on his mortal soul!**

The voice within him boomed and commanded him to move, ordering him to attack, yelling at him to protect that which he deemed precious, lest he risk losing her again. His hands clenched causing his claws to pierce his flesh. His knuckles popped and beneath the bangs of his pink hair his black eyes smoldered crimson.

''Ugh...gah!'' hearing her whimpers and cries Natsu only had to take one look and when saw tears begin to form had done him in. The final straw been broken and Natsu gave a deep and rough growl.

**''Get...your filthy hand off ERZAAAAAA!''** snapping upwards Natsu _roared_ and flames erupted from his form before dashed towards Jellal in speeds that far exceeded what the boy could even perceive. So, he was shocked when he merely blinked before a clawed hand was grasping at his face and was holding him off his feet. He couldn't even so much as use his match as Natsu clenched his hand, his claws digging into Jellal's flesh and skull.

**''I will kill you for making her cry, I will DESTROY you for hurting her, Jellal! AAGGH!'' **and with a mighty roar Natsu let go of Jellal before he jumped and spun. Than he lashed out with his foot, coated in flames before delivering a crushing roundhouse kick to the side of his head. But before he could let the boy fly out he grabbed hold of his leg and dragged his back down, slamming him onto the cold unforgiving cobblestone floor.

''Ugh!'' Jellal spurt blood from his mouth, but Natsu didn't stop and he swung him into another wall causing it crack before it collapsed. Than he jumped and threw Jellal back down into the floor causing him let out a scream before Natsu came back down, his whole body aflame before he hit Jellal with the full force of his flaming body.

And he came down _hard!_

**''RAAAAAGGHH!''** Natsu let out another beastly roar as he dug his fiery fists into Jellal's abdomen causing him puke blood, but Natsu just didn't stop. He just kept punching him before grabbing him by his hair and before hurling him against the wall before grabbing hold of his throat. Slamming him into the wall with even more force the wall began to crack and break in places, but Natsu seemed to not notice as he glared deep into Jellal's own terrified orbs.

''M-m-monster...monster...monster...monster.'' spoke the severely damaged and burned boy who could only keep repeating this mantra as he stared deep into those burning hot crimson orbs that smoldered with rage and fury unlike anything the boy had ever witnessed. He could see his death happening hundreds of times over and in so many different ways that he felt like puking if he actually had anything to puke up. So instead the boy began to hyperventilate and dry heave.

**''Monster huh? Yes I suppose I am one. Now I'm going to make you suffer, just as you made her suffer. Get ready to scream!''** Natsu yelled, his voice now no longer his own as he channeled his power into his hand causing to burst aflame. But just before he could reach the boy.

Fate seemed to have other plans...

Pushing with just a tiny bit of force the wall behind Jellal gave way causing Natsu to stumble before he let go of the boy. And he watched with a growl as the boy fell, helplessly into the ocean.

_**'You should have finished him...'**_

_'Shut up! Whoever the hell you are I do not take orders from you!'_

_**'And yet you followed my words, you cannot simply ignore my presence.'**_

Natsu's eyes narrowed in fury before he slammed his against the wall causing it too shatter as well, but he paid no heed even as the prisoners on the otherside of the wall shouted in surprise. He paid them no heed as he mentally blocked out the voice speaking to him in his head. It was one thing to know he wasn't human, but if he began to talk to himself than he knew for sure he was bat shit insane.

Despite this, watching from their prison cells Erza, Rob and the other children could only stare in shock, awe and a tad bit of fear. It was understandable though since it wasn't everyday you saw a 7 year old boy take siege on a base full of Zeref Cultists, taking them all out single handedly, begin freeing every single slave by ripping off their prison doors and afterwards begin to maul a 6 year old boy that seemed to be possessed by some evil spiritual entity.

''Woah...'' Sho uttered from behind Erza

''Yeah...wow...'' Wally could only agree with his cry baby of a friend.

Simon looked from Natsu to Erza and back to him again before shaking his head. ''Erza...do you know this guy?''

But before Erza could reply Millianna pulled on the hem of Erza's shirt and looked up at her with a completely innocent face. ''He really seem to know you, are you two uh...what was it mommy called uh..._together_ like uh..._boyfriend and girlfriend_?'' This was a innocent enough question by the girl as it got curious looks from the other children and Rob simply chuckled. Erza on the other hand was just old enough to understand what the young girl was trying to get across to her and her face in a second resembled the very same shade as her scarlet red hair.

"NO we're not! I don't even know his name...'' the young redhead looked away with her cheeks flushed red and to her added embarrassment Millianna seemed to tilt her head, humming as she looked from her and to Natsu who simply stood at the hole in the wall. But Erza did glance in Natsu's direction and she soaked up his appearance for a moment memorizing his spiky pink hair and black eyes that had by now returned to normal.

And suddenly her cheeks darkened...

_'But papa always told me that when a boy wishes to protect a girl that's important to him than he really really likes them. And this guys seems to know me somehow, but I've never met him at the village, at least I don't think I did.'_

''Hm that boy appears to be a mage...'' Rob mumbled in self-thought reminded her of that fact which made her eyes widen. That's right she remembered seeing him summon up flames when he attacked Jellal and even used them to empower his attacks. It was the first time she actually saw someone use magic that Rob spoke so much of and in such a destructive force as this. A force that allowed her to see freedom from this dark place where freedom went to die in the darkness of slavery.

''His flames...they were beautiful.'' she commented, speaking the truth without much thought put into words. She simply spoke her mind and meant every word. Hearing this Rob simply smiled and shook his head while the other kids simply stared at her and then to the boy and back at her with befuddled expressions.

But unknown to them all Natsu's sensitive hearing caught her words and he had to suppress his own embarrassment at what Erza said. No one really commented on his flames besides how destructive they were, never truly recognizing the beauty of what fire could do and could be done with it. But it confused him also since he only used his flames out of his ownanger and fury, wielding them to only bring about destruction the death of the one who pushed him off the edge.

Where was the beauty in that?

Shaking his head Natsu turned his eyes making sure his other features had returned to normal before he went back to their prison cell. ''Now let's get you guys out of here, I doubt anyone else will come back after that.'' he commented making Rob raise an eyebrow in question.

''And what of the taskmaster?'' he asked, questioning on the status of sick, twisted and demented man.

Natsu merely looked his way and for a moment burned his image into the back of head, _'This must be Rob that Erza respected so much.'_

''….Dead...'' it was much more complicated than that, the old man knew it and so did Natsu, he'd actually found the man and took his time tearing him apart for hurting Erza. He tore off all of his limbs, and let him bleed out until he was nearly unconscious before igniting him on fire.

Rob seemed to frown at this, but accepted it all the same. ''I see...''

Seeing that the questions were done Natsu gave a hmph before he ripped off the cell doors allowing for them to walk out freely before he pointed downstairs. ''The other freed prisoners are getting the boats ready. They'll be ready to go by the time I get done freeing the others, Old man lead them through will, ya?'' he asked and Rob simply nodded.

''Good, get going the others will be out shortly.'' he said and he turned his back, doing his best to ignore the burning stare he got from Erza's eyes. He couldn't look at her without fearing for his own emotions to get out of control. The scars were still fresh and deep of what he'd done and to see her alive and well was enough as it was, but the fact that she didn't recognize him hurt pretty deep.

But he had to accept that fact, she nor did anyone know who he was, nor of their time together growing up as kids.

_'That's probably for the best anyway...'_

Suddenly, Natsu felt a tug on his shirt and he looked down to see a little girl around 4 year's old looking up at him shyly. He looked at her for a moment before it dawned on him once he recognized her face.

_'Millianna...'_ he hadn't had much talk with her, but she was one of Erza's old frineds from the tower and such deserved his own friendship back then but now...

''Uhm...thank you.'' the girl thanked him, implausible, impossible! He didn't deserve such thanks for what he'd done to save them.

But deciding to keep up what appearance he had he sighed and pat the young girl on the head, careful that he didn't stain her hair with the blood of his own victims. ''You're welcome, now go!'' he gave a gruff command and she nodded timidly before running back to her friends who soon began to leave, all the while staring at his retreating back. But the most intense stare was Erza's own.

''Who is he I wonder...''

* * *

The sound of cheering echoed amongst the island as all of the former prisons and slaves that had been slaving away in the construction of the Tower began to shout in joy. Tears of happiness left the eyes of many, men and women embraced in joy at escaping their nightmare as children cried in the arms of the elderly, each having suffered a scarring from this event in their life's. Some more than others.

They were rallying at the docks of the island taking boats stolen from the Cultist's shipyard which had a vast number of boats to ferry the forces in case of an emergency evacuation. Over half of the original number of slaves had already left the island and were making their way to the mainland of Fiore. The rest were beginning to make their way onto the boats, the late newcomers having been the last their little savior had freed.

Speaking of their mysterious savior, many were chatting about it talking about the boy who infiltrated the tower in the dead of night and from there on started slaughtering every single guard in his path. All the while freeing every slave he came across. To others it seemed like the boy was the representation of a vindictive god that had sent the boy down as a blessing to save them from their own personal hell hole and a demon to the cultists within. Others just couldn't stop talking about the mysterious boy and some others were silent, quiet, still shaken from how the boy brutally murdered their captors without a shred of mercy. It was unnerving to say the least...

But were they any different, if they had the chance would they have done the same?

Hell yes...

So, it was because of this talking that Natsu kept himself hidden after he freed the last of the slaves he took to taking the backdoor, by jumping from the top floor and landing in the forests. He didn't want the publicity nor the scorn for what he'd done, he only saved them because it was the right thing to do and to let them suffer any longer would be yet another sin that would haunt him until the end of his days.

It's why he kept himself hidden, hoping that he wasn't seen as he began to take the same route he came onto the island with, but just as he reached the bank of the island. He sighed and stopped a familiar scent of strawberries carried through the airwaves.

''You can come out now, I promise I won't bite.'' he assured his stalker and he wasn't shocked to see, after a few seconds of hesitation, Erza come out from behind a tree. Looking at him with her big brown eyes that were still filled with an innocence that he so wished to stay. An innocence that he was able to keep intact for just a little longer, something she wouldn't lose to at least the savagery of those bastard cultists.

''What do you need? Shouldn't you be with your friends right now, getting ready to depart?'' he asked her and he noticed her flinch from his tone of voice and truly Natsu felt like stabbing his heart a hundred times for talking to Erza like this. But he had too, there was no other choice, but to distance himself from her, to save her, he couldn't befriend her. No matter how much his heart wished too.

He was unworthy of her friendship and affection...a devil such as he was unworthy to be in the presence of Fairy Tail's Queen after all.

But the redhead simply shattered those thoughts as he summoned up her courage and strode up to him in timid, but strong steps. And the boys eyes widened when she was, but a few inches from him and black eyes stared back into chocolate brown before the girl sucked in her lips and puffed out her cheeks.

''I...wanted to say thank you for saving us...but I also wanted to thank you for saving me from _Jellal_. He almost..._killed me_ had you not stopped him so I just want to thank you for that personally.'' she said in a pout that was just too cute, but Natsu didn't dare say a word. Even though he found her pouting expression to be absolutely adorable and completely unlike the Erza he once admired and fought alongside with.

''...You're welcome...now you best be going before your boat departs.'' he said trying to push her away, but she remained strong, as strong as her future Titania self as she summed up her courage again and spoke.

''Rob-san has it staying to give me enough time to speak with you. You see there was something else I wanted to talk about, how...how do you know my name? How do you know me? Why...why did you become like that when Jellal tried to kill me...'' she mumbled out the last part, but Natsu heard her clearly. He scratched the back of his head as he tried to think up a way to explain as he certainly couldn't tell her the heartfelt truth.

_'Think Natsu! Think! You were always good at improvising so think...hm'_

_**'If you're so worried about it make a deal with her...'**_

Natsu suddenly felt a twitch in his brow as the voice spoke up again.

_'Oh great didn't I tell you to go away, mystery voice?!'_

He heard the voice give a deep rumbling chuckle before it responded in kind, _**'You should know by now I will never go away until the day we perish from existence. You can act dumb all you want, but you know who I am just as I know what you are. Now you can either listen to me and actually do something that will benefit you and your...vixen for the future or act like a dumbass and mess up...again.'**_

It took a moment for Natsu to realize what the voice was saying and he inwardly blushed blood red, but he before he could deny such an accusation the voice interrupted him.

_**'Now before you even start your pitiful denial, I know you better than you know yourself and I've seen the emotions you held for her, among others, and I can tell that you held her in very very high regard. More than you ever did for that Celestial mage of yours.'**_

And promptly Natsu's mouth clicked shut as the truth was spoken to him in such a way that he was left speechless.

_**'Now, as to what I said before, instead of worrying about telling her now make a deal with her. We as demons can never lie, despite popular belief, we can bend the truth, but we never tell lies. So make a deal with her, be creative!'**_

And like that the voice went silent as Natsu seethed in both embarrassment and rage at the voice in his head. He gave a not so subtle growl in his mind before thinking on his words. Be creative eh?

''Uhm...are you okay?'' Erza spoke to him, her worried expression somehow put him at ease before he let out a sigh. Ultimately he came to a choice and he just hoped it would work. Turning to her he gave a small smile revealing part of his sharp canines and pearly whites.

''Hmmm, wellll I could tell you, but I have better idea. Let's make a wager, I'll tell you anything you want to know. How I know you, how I know your name, how I even know your favorite food is strawberry cheesecake.'' he said making her eyes widen in shock before he raised his finger stopping from her speaking. ''IF...you do me a favor.'' here he leaned forward staring down at her with his intense black eyes looking deep into brown orbs.

''A-and that is...?'' she stuttered shyly, timid as she had never been in such close contact with a boy in a way like that. But Natsu paid it no mind as he raised his hand and cupped her chin in hand and leaned to her ear.

_''Become strong, join the mage guild known as Fairy Tail and learn what it means to be strong. And when you've reached the pinnacle of your power seek me out and force the answers from me. I know you can become strong, I see such a massive amount of potential in you just waiting to be pulled out. So come, stand before me when you master your own power and I may just tell you how I know you Erza Scarlet.''_

_**'….You're a god damn natural...'**_ the voice in his head sounded stunned even dumbfounded with the way he handled that and Natsu himself was a bit perplexed the way he handled that just came to him as easy as breathing, it felt natural to him in a sense, but he mentally shrugged it wasn't something to be worried about.

Right?

He pulled away and he found a great amount of amusement when he saw how red faced Erza, literally she looked like she was gonna pop like a balloon. But as he turned away and kneeled down into the water. He began to wash himself scrubbing off what blood he could and digging out the gore and bone underneath his fingernails. Because of this he missed Erza begin to calm down before a confused expression formed on her face.

''Okay...I accept but let me ask you something. Why did you add Scarlet to my first name?'' she was too young to remember her true surname and just went with her first name Erza.

To her confusion Natsu stopped cleaning his face before he looked up at her, blinking multiple times in a dumbly fashion before slapping his forehead. ''Oh right, I forgot...'' he mumbled too low for her to hear before he stood up. This time he surprised her by leaning forward before he took a strand of her scarlet red hair and spoke to her, eye to eye as he held a strand of her hair between them.

''Well I sure don't know your surname so I figured to give you one of my own. _Scarlet_, taken from the color of your red hair matches well with your first name, Erza. Strong and Beautiful, yet durable and gentle. I quite like the name, Erza Scarlet, that's why I call you that.'' he hummed before he went back to cleaning himself.

At this point Erza had to turn away to hide her monumental blush that was reaching her hairline. Such heartfelt compliments were making her feel funny and embarrassed, the way this boy said it without an ounce of shame was both impressive yet envious. Still she sunk her head and twiddled her fingers together before coming to a choice herself.

''Mmmmhm! Okay...I like it...Erza...Erza Scarlet...I'll keep it! As a reminder for the boy who saved my life, but maybe you can do something for me in turn.'' she asked making Natsu look up at her with a raised eyebrow.

''And that is?''

Here she hesitated, stuttering like a school girl, returning to her shy and timid shell when faced with him. ''May...may I know your name, the name of the boy who saved me?''

Natsu could only stare at her for a moment before sighing, taking a moment to think this through he had to take multiple factors into the equation if he told her his name. No doubt, what he did here this day was going to spread far and wide and he was leaning more on how his grim actions and the abilities he showed would be the most talked about. He knew for a fact the Magic Council would instantly become wary of his presence, but as far as he knew they didn't know his name. Only a very rough description of him which was good since they wouldn't be able to send out their Rune Knights or Agents like Doranbolt without a solid description and a name to base it off of.

That wasn't even counting the fact when other guilds found out about what happened and began searching for him, despite his grim actions to have a boy with his abilities in their guild would be like a blessing to them. It would usurp the balance of power between the guilds and he'd rather not become the reason of a mass guild war.

There was also the matter of Dark Guilds and other groups of Zeref cultists out there, when they caught word of his actions they would certainyl be hunting him down. Bleeding out what information they could from any and all sources that were in contact with him. It was an inevitable consequence that he couldn't stop which was why he planned to destroy any dark guilds he came across.

If he told Erza his name he would be risking this to come to pass, but he couldn't completely say no either so he decided to compromise.

Smiling walked around her and flicked her nose causing to take a step back and look at him with wide eyes before simple speaking. ''Well I can't tell you my full name, but I can at least tell you my first, the names _Natsu_. Promise not to tell anybody my name, okay?''

Erza simply nodded and Natsu nodded in return, ''Good, well I need to go. Now get to your boat and remember our deal, become strong, find Fairy Tail and when you've reached the pinnacle of your power. Come and find me, only then will I tell you how I know you, till then Erza-chan!'' he ended with a cheeky grin before he dove into the water.

Erza could only watch him swim away out of sight of the former slaves, but as she watched him go she reached to her mouth and tested the name of her savior letting it ride off the tip of her tongue. ''N-nat...Natsu..? Natsu-kun? _Hehehe._'' at that moment if Natsu had been there for a second longer he would have figured the apocalypse was coming due to the fact that Erza Scarlet was blushing and giggling with a lovestruck expression on her face.

So he remained oblivious as Erza watched him go with admiration in her brown eyes, ''I'll do it...Natsu, I'll get stronger, I'll learn my magic and someday I will find you again someday, till then _Natsu-kun_.''

And with that said Erza turned away, for once in what felt like a very long time, a smile filled with happiness stretched across her face she walked back to the docks with a slight spring in her step. Whatever came in her path now was now just a temporary obstacle in her path to become strong, to become powerful so she can seek out the one who pulled her out of the darkness with his own blood stained hands. To give him the appreciation he deserved, even when others would and will spite him and the path he walked. She wouldn't know it, but she would soon begin to walk a path that would stand side by side with him and support him completely, even when the world itself would go against him.

Although the young redhead wouldn't know that she would have competition in that matter.

**OwO**

''Ugh! I swear you're way too heavy to be a kid!'' Ultear grunted as she pulled a heavily damaged and burnt Jellal from the ocean. She had fallen into the ocean when the tower had become too unstable and began to fall apart so she fell into the ocean. However had been able to recover her crystal ball and was able to record the experiment between her pet project and the intruder that ultimately brought the Tower of Heaven into rubble.

She ceremoniously dropped the blue haired boy and fell flat on her ass ans released a sigh of frustration. Letting her gaze drift forward she watched as the Tower of Heaven began to tumble and fall apart from the destruction that boy let loose inside. To see a single boy caused so much destruction single-handedly was worthy enough to be noted and sent directly to Lord Hades himself.

Plus...

She eyed the boy beside her and shook her head, _'I overestimated that small sample of Lord Zeref's power Lord Hades gave me. I figured it would be enough to awaken this boy's potential and make him a good test subject to see how far Lord Zeref's power could go in a young host. But that boy...he simply crushed him without any effort at all. Good thing I recorded it all on my crystal ball.'_ Ultear thought to herself as she held her beloved lacrima crystal sphere in hand before deciding to get in contact with her guild.

''Ultear to Grimoire heart, Ultear to Grimoire Heart, I request a immediate pick up and direct me a lacrima feed to Lord Hades, quickly!''

_''Bzzzzt...Roger, We're on route to your position. Directing you to Master Hades now.''_

It took a moment before the face of her master appeared on her crystal ball and she smiled at her old guild master.

''Hello master!''

_''Greetings Ultear, how goes your mission?''_

She hesitated for a moment before finally finding the courage to speak. _''There has been a unfortunate incident, the Tower of Heaven project has been lost, but I think I may have just found something a bit more interesting than that throughout this mishap.''_

She could easily tell her master wasn't pleased by the slight narrowing of his eyes, but she'd always been loyal to him without a fault so he gave her the benefit of the doubt. _''Hm, alright, we're on route to your position, you can show me what happened exactly and what you've found that could be worth something in this mess. And it better be worth losing the Tower of Heaven project Ultear.''_ he let the lingering threat hang there and she simply smiled.

''Oh it is master. It truly is very..._interesting.''_

* * *

**Done!**

**(Falls dead on laptop, dead and drained with my soul beginning to leave my corpse)**

**Hope you enjoyed...I feel...so drained. I couldn't stop typing no matter what so I continued. I couldn't find a suitable ending spot so I just pushed through, hope you liked it!**

**As you can see I am diverging from canon greatly from this moment forward, such changes are like Erza and Jellal were never close enough to have become friends. Erza never lost her eye and Natsu arrived early so he saved her and her friends before any serious harm could be done.**

**But it comes down to a cost as you've seen...**

**Cause and Effect people Cause and Effect!**

**Anyway I've decided to make this a harem story, but I'll be making it my way and in a believable fashion that won't destroy the story's plot.**

**Also yes, I know Natsu seemed very out of character for killing those people, but let me try to explain if you didn't understand by now, Natsu knows he is no longer a human, he is in a state of emotional turmoil and mental trauma. He feels unworthy to be a Fairy Tail mage, he feels like a monster and therefore should become a monster so he could safeguard his once upon a time family from the shadows.**

**I feel this was needed for Natsu to grow up, but if you have criticism's please share I will take it all into consideration, but flames will be ignored entirely.**

**Now I desperately need some sleep, Read, like and please review I need those criticism's people. FEED ME!**


	3. Nightmares of the Past and The Demoness

**Thanks for the support everyone!**

**Of all the movies that I'm anxious to see it is the Dracula Untold movie, my god I just saw Hercules and now I wanna that movie! HURRY UP OCTOBER!**

**Now pertaining to the pairing, I'm not even gonna worry about the pairing anymore, I see it's just gonna cause problems so I'll keep quiet about it and let the story do the talking for me.**

**Inspiration for this chapter's theme goes to the Dracula Untold OST and Castlevania Lords of Shadow 2 soundtrack, neither of which I own.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"_I'm not sure when I'd forgotten this feeling of warmth, I've fought so hard for my younger siblings. It's been so long that I've forgotten what it was like to be able to lean on someone else for support. That is until that day...that day when he saved us...the same day I met him, my savior." **~Mirajane Strauss**_

**The Legend of E.N.D.**

**Chapter 2: Nightmares of the Past and The Demoness**

_'Why...'_

_Onyx eyes dilated and his mouth quivered, his body shook with violent tremors as levels of sorrow and self-loathing slammed into his body with each passing second. The pain was so strong, so deep, so intense; that it made dying sound better than going through this torture. His claws scrapped at his head, tearing apart flesh causing blood to pour from his fingertips and in-between the cracks of his fingers._

_'How...how did this happen...'_

_**'You should already know the answer to that...'**_

_The words boomed within his mind, but he paid no heed as he looked upon the anarchy before him. He could do nothing as bloodcurdling screams tore throughout the village of which he found himself in. It was one of many, many of which he dreamed about, and it would surely not be the last. The village didn't look as modern to what he was used to, but he couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity as he looked upon it._

_But the village was in flames, corpses of men, women and children littered the street's as homes and buildings burned. Demons of the foulest nature tore into other groups of fleeing villagers in a blood crazed frenzy. Other crouched and feasted upon the corpses of their fallen prey, the dirt paths and cobblestone streets ran dark red with the blood of innocent. His eyes couldn't turn away, he couldn't block out his ears as the demons feasted and howled in victory, their battle cries of victory rung loud and true into the smoky red sky._

_It was a sickening sight, it made him want to puke, the stench of blood and death was as putrid as the scene of crows picking at the leftover corpses of children. But as he watched he could do nothing, his body moved against him and acted with other thoughts in mind. He lifted his arm to which he saw it was stained crimson before flexing his clawed fingers. And soon enough fire of the darkest ebony beckoned at his call, swirling around him and upwards into the sky._

_'Why did I do this...what possessed me to commit this genocide. Why...why!' he cried out within his mind, but his moved acted on it's own._

_**'Because they took something very important from you...'**_

_The voice within him boomed and he felt confusion swell up within him, what? These people had taken something from him? What was so important for him to have done this? It couldn't have been so important for him to have done this! Nothing in the world could have been so important that he would have resorted to something like this!_

…_.Right?_

_But his body acted instead, he could only watch through his own eyes as his own fire acted blanketing the world in his burning fire. An emotion soon became clear to him as he walked through the destroyed village. An emotion that was so strong, so intense that it uplifted his passion's and heightened his fury beyond the heavens._

_And that was pure, raw unadulterated **Hatred**_

_Killing whatever was in his path, mortal and demon alike. His fire acted upon his will and incinerated anything that came too close to him, his whole body was aflame cloaking him in the fire's of Hell itself. Each step he took left an unquenchable inferno in his wake that incinerated all life behind him._

_His path was set in stone, and the dark of night swelled around him as if welcoming back it's master and the flames parted all obstructions that would have impeded him. Nothing would stop him now, what attachment he had left in this world had died and nothing, absolutely **nothing** could stop him now. Pure hatred and rage burned and threatened to push him over the edge into the abyss, the only semblance of his own self-control was by the cold fury brimming in his eyes._

_'Why...why do I feel this way...what happened...why am I seeing this...tell me!' Natsu screamed within his mind as the chaos ensued. His body moved on it's own, regarding everything in his way and around as nothing more than ants._

_**'To tell you would do nothing, you must remember as I've said before. You must remember who you are...what you are. And the only way is for you to relive the life that is your true past.'**_

_Natsu Dragneel let out a growl of frustration at that as his body on the outside continued to move, he should have realized he could do nothing at this point since he was just watching a memory. A memory among many that was of a life that had long been wiped from his mind, but to see what he'd done, the life's he had taken, the amount of destruction he caused._

_'But really...is there any difference to how I was before when I was with Fairy Tail? I only caused destruction everywhere I went. Destroyed people's life's and made it harder for everyone to live, everything I do, everywhere I go, I leave nothing but anarchy in my path.' he thought to himself, it was morbid thought, but a true one nonetheless._

_But just as he was about to push away his thoughts, he heard the most blood curdling scream that it made his blood run cold._

_''KIIIYYYAAAAAHHH!''_

_Turning to where it originated, his eyes widened in horror as he saw himself come upon a bigger house which stood out from the rest of the village. For a moment he supposed it belonged the village's mayor or chief. But that thought was torn from him as what he saw body move of it's own accord. Because standing at the porch of the house was a middle-aged woman who had fallen to her knee's in terror when she saw him._

_But his body moved of it's accord and a whip of fire formed and wrapped around her neck and he yanked, dragging her off the porch and through the street's until she was at his feet. She tried to move, but his foot slammed on his spine causing her to let loose a scream as he felt himself speak yet he couldn't hear what he was saying to the woman._

_But it seemed to terrify her from the fear stricken expression that dawned on her face, but his past self seemed to show no mercy as he bent down and grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her up. He lifted her up to eye level, the woman's large terrified green eyes met smoldering crimson orbs. Sobs wracked her body as tears poured from her eyes, but his past self showed no sympathy for the woman._

_Than he spoke..._

_**''Where is the that rotten sack of bones you call a Chief? If you do not tell me, I will not hesitate to to rip out your entrails and slowly burn you alive.''** the area around him exploded from just the rise of his anger alone. The earth melted into lava, tree's and houses burst into flames and the sky itself began to darken further and further._

_But the woman could only cry at her impending doom that was too follow, her pitiful whimpers sounded as his past self held her roughly off her feet. His fangs glistening into a primal snarl of rage and disgust._

_''I-I don't know...'' she let out and Natsu didn't like that from the way his eyes surged further into madness._

_And then he let go of the woman's hair only to grab her neck instead, his clawed fingers dug into her throat, piercing and scarring her flesh. He didn't so much as flinch as she winced an feebly clawed at his hand to let go. Yet his grip was nothing short of titan-like, he closed off her much needed air and glared down at her whimpering pitiful form._

_**''Then you are of no use to me...''** and just as he reared his hand to impale her stomach he noticed her stop and choke out a few words._

_''W-wait...t-the chief...h-he's...'' the lack of air proved to be hard for her to continue so he eased up on her throat so she could speak._

_**''Yes?''** his patience was nearing it's end with her and this cesspool of a village. What self-control he had left was barely holding back his fury upon this land, and it would be her words that would either hold or break that control._

_And the woman spoke, stuttering in terror beneath his demonic gaze as the fires of his fury burned at all life and creation around him. ''T-the chief...he-he fled as soon as word reached us that you were coming. He's...he's fled to...C-c-crocus!'' she cried out as tears pooled from her eyes and upon his blood stained hand._

_And Natsu regarded her with a blank stare before giving a growl that made her flinch and shiver uncontrollably, **''I see, the coward fled and left you all to die. And to think you people, this whole land looked up to that fool, what sorely misplaced loyalty.''** Natsu muttered before he eyed the woman before him._

_**''Regardless, you told me what I wished to know therefore, I will not kill you...''** he said making her expression break into one of immense relief._

_''Oh...oh thank you...thank you merciful lord...I-''_

_But she was interrupted when Natsu regarding her grovelling state with a sneer before he walked away from her causing her to see the pack of drooling hounds of hell that stood behind him, loyally and faithfully awaiting their master's orders._

_**''But I never said they wouldn't...''** he said and soon he ignored the woman's cries and pleas as the hounds jumped at her form. Soon, the sounds of the crunching bones and the tearing of flesh echoed amongst the burning village. The only thing Natsu cared for was the far sight of the Kingdom of Fiore, his crimson orbs smoldered with a fury that would have seen the Devil himself fleeing in fright._

_**''Run all you like, fool. Nothing will save you from me, no mage, no demon, no dragon and no god will protect you from me. I will come for you and nothing, NOT EVEN KINGDOM OF FIORE WILL STOP ME!''** Natsu roared stopping all other battles as his rage consumed him and all of the village and the entire was engulfed in the fire of his hatred._

_The explosion as so intense that Natsu viewing had to look away from the bright light before his vision was consumed in darkness once more._

* * *

_Bump!_

Slowly a pair of onyx eyes drifted open to see himself looking up into the early morning sky, a few stars here and there still twinkled above, but the sun was slowly beginning to rise allowing for a vast range of colors to fill the sky. Ranging from blue, purple, pink, orange and red, it was the first sight that welcomed one Natsu Dragneel after awakening from one of the many memory filled dreams/nightmares that plagued him.

He released a sigh before he leaned further back into his makeshift bed, which consisted solely of a pile of hay. After leaving the Tower of Heaven he went to the nearest town and did a few odd jobs and traveled around a bit gather up what jewel's he could scrounge while living in the forests. Recently he had to make a deal with the carriage driver, making sure he'd pull his own weight by stocking merchandise and offloading it as well. The jewels were decent and he had his own little bit of transportation and since they were heading up north made it all the better for him.

Sighing, Natsu rubbed his forehead in frustration as he tried to ease his migraine, _'So, would you mind telling me exactly what it was I just saw right there.'_ he asked the voice in his head. He could feel it again, bubbling up within him as it voice it's opinion to him with a matter of fact tone.

_**'I told you did I not? To tell you would be pointless, you would learn nothing. You must experience your memories first hand to learn who you once were.'** _he, it, whatever it was replied making Natsu grit his teeth and give out a subtle growl of annoyance. That was the same answer he gave him every time he asked and he was just about fed up with it. It was always like this, every time, every night he did go to sleep he would go through these memories of a life he didn't remember and the life he lived was something he quickly found out to be not the most enjoyable one.

Each memory was spontaneous and happened at random intervals and at different locations, how was he supposed to learn anything that way when he didn't even know what was even going on? This had been happening the moment he woke up in this world, but recently this voice only woke up within him when he went to save Erza from the Tower of Heaven.

_'I wonder how she's doing anyway...'_ Natsu pondered on that, it had been 3 year's since he left Erza to depart with her friends. He knew for sure she was safe due to the fact that Rob had been with her at the time and he was still a certified Mage even with his old age. He was a Fairy Tail mage as well he knew she would have reached Fairy Tail by now.

But still he worried for her safety, the Erza he once knew would have appreciated his concern, but would tell him not too worry. But he had to painfully remind himself this wasn't the Erza he grew up, she was just a timid, shy little girl that was quickly thrown into a world that she needed to get used to real quick. It would take time for her to grow up and become the woman he knew she would be, The Queen of Fairy Tail, Erza Scarlet "The Titania", a woman that was both feared and respected amongst all of Fiore.

A woman he admired, a woman who he...

Quickly he shook his head of those thoughts and focused more on other matters. As he looked up he thought about his recent predicament with a moment of clarity as the cool breeze of the early morning blew across his face and ruffled his hair. Since arriving in the past Natsu had taken it upon himself to think, for once in his life. To truly think about what he should do, and how he should go about this new chance gifted upon him.

_'I've made up my mind of one thing, I'll never return to Fairy Tail, not counting the fact if I ever went there my presence would only bring them trouble. I also have to deal with problems here and now before they become a burden for them in the future. The only thing I can do for Fairy Tail is to find my old friends and lead them to the Guild. From what I remember Mirajane, Lisanna and Elfman lived somewhere near the north and Gray lived directly in the North. So I need to find them and help them first of all and after that...'_

His thoughts were cut of as his inner voice spoke up, **_'You also need to straighten out your memories and realize just who you once were.'_** the voice said causing Natsu to growl and mentally snarl at the voice.

_'I know enough, I was a rampaging monster with no morals, a demon that lived only to kill in the name of Zeref and nothing else. What could possibly be more to my life than that?'_ perhaps he should have put more thought into it, but he didn't. His hate for demons and himself was at an all time high, when Tartaros came into the picture everything went straight to hell. His life was flipped upside down, spun around and chuckled into the fiery pits of the underworld. As far as he was concerned what life he lived in the past was one of only carnage and chaos, in his mind nothing redeeming or good could have come out of it.

However when the voice spoke again he was left baffled and a bit frightened from the amount of anger and venom in it's tone. _**'Such ignorance...There is far more to it than that, you simple minded buffoon! Do NOT speak like those bigot mortals you were raised with. You were far more than just that, you were above everything; mortal, demon, even Dragons! You were-no are...E.N.D. You were above simple minded savagery as that, akin to the hordes of Zeref's armies you were a God to them. You had something that no other demon in Zeref's army ever had nor ever will, something he wanted you to have when he created you.'**_ the voice tore into him with a ferocity that it never showed before and it honestly surprised Natsu.

_'And what is that? What made me so different from the others?'_ he spat back and this time the voice returned with a simple word.

_**'….A Conscious, Zeref gave you free will. You were his first creation, created for only one thing in mind, beyond that you held no loyalty to him or anyone. You were your own entity and that is what made you so dangerous. And the life you lived before this one was something that, to this very day, scholars and historians have yet to decipher. You're life as E.N.D. Can only be remembered by you and let me tell you this, the hatred and rage that was within your past self in that dream and all the others were completely justified.'**_

Natsu took what the voice said with an expression of frustration and annoyance, what he said went against everything he was ever stood for as a Fairy Tail mage. Yet the truth was there, he was the living embodiment of Darkness, the living and walking representation of what a demon strived to become. He accepted the fact that he was Zeref's first creation when he and his friends fought against Mard Geer. It became crystal clear to him of that fact when the Book of E.N.D was unleashed him.

It awoke a few memories of who he was...

And it was all he needed to know that he was infact not a mortal nor was he the son of a dragon, but was infact a creation by the Dark Wizard Zeref.

_'….And what justifies those deaths? Those mass genocides? Innocent people begin slaughtered? What could possibly justify that? What was so important to me that I would have done something as atrocious as that?'_ Natsu questioned the voice in his head which went silent for a moment before it spoke again, only his time it's voice was dead, soulless and it brought a shiver of dread down his spine.

_**'That...is something you will need to remember for yourself. I will not say what it was, but I can say this...it pushed you over the edge. What was left of your sanity was lost, and you delved into madness. You embraced your inner devil, and welcomed darkness into your heart and you became...something even Zeref himself feared.'**_

THAT made Natsu go deathly pale as that shiver lasted for a good solid 5 minutes before he finally got a hold of himself. Silence reigned between himself and the voice of his other persona for the longest of time before Natsu finally spoke after he gathered up his courage.

_'Then...if it's so bad...show me...show me from the very beginning. None of this random interval shit; start from the very beginning. If I should understand why I became like that then I need to how it all started. Show me...E.N.D...of the past, of my life. Show me who I once was, from the start of it all, no matter how hard it will be to take I will take it all in.'_ he stated resolutely to his other persona, the persona he deemed to be the Demon side of him, E.N.D.

The voice went silent, deciding to not speak about Natsu calling him E.N.D before it finally spoke. _**'You want to know of the past? You've finally come to terms with yourself then? I'll show you, but are you truly prepared for it? If I show you the past, you will not come out as you are now. You will change and whether that change is good or bad will remain a mystery.'**_

Natsu frowned at those words, but he had already resolved to himself that needed to accept his past no matter how gruesome it was. He could only throw it upon the pile of his other sin's and keep moving forward, he wasn't a guy to back down so he merely grunted and spoke to the voice.

_'I don't care what happens or what I will see, just show me...'_

The voice was silent before it spoke.

_**'….Very well, it will take time for me to rearrange all of our memories in the correct order so until then you won't experience these relapses until after I've fixed them in order. When I have, I will let you know.'**_ the voice said making Natsu hum in acknowledgment before speaking.

_'Alright, but how exactly will I experience them? Will they come and go as they have been before or will I learn it all in one go?'_ preferably he just wanted to know about all in one fell swoop and no longer suffer anymore from the nightmares that plagued him every waking night.

Unfortunately his hopes was dashed as the voice replied, _**'If I were to do that, you would either go brain dead due to reliving your whole past life in one night or go mentally insane from all that you saw. No, you need to adjust to what you see every time you awake, so you will be having them like before, but it will be beyond my hands this time.'**_

Natsu frowned, but accepted it all the same, he would just have to deal with it like he did with everything else in his life. The move forward without regret and without hesitation. The burden of his friends and families death weighed heavily upon his shoulders, but slowly yet surely that burden was beginning to lessen as he accepted what he'd done as his own fault. He killed them out of his own ignorance and the consequence of his own actions and he accepted that after he saved Erza from the Tower.

The way he fought and killed all those people at the Tower was prove enough for him that he was no longer the man he once was. To have a bloodlust was new to him and it had taken over him as soon as he entered that Tower which caused all of Erza's pain. It drove him beyond the point of self-control and he acted upon his own instinct and desires, which was to kill every single guard in that tower and bring down the structure itself so Erza no longer suffered.

Now that he was back in time he just needed to make sure this time he didn't fail, he knew what to expect this time and would make damned sure they didn't get hurt. Tartaros and Zeref were his problem not theirs.

''Oi boyo~! We've arrived at our next next stop, you awake back there?'' the voice of the carriage driver spoke and Natsu awoke from his thoughts and saw that time had passed by since the sun was now breaking past the horizon. Letting out a sigh, Natsu sat up and looked to see the driver, who was a average old man with straight gray hair and a goatee and aged black eyes.

''Ok, thanks for letting me know old timer, by the way what's the town we're stopping at?'' he asked causing the old man to frown before he pointed forward a bit making Natsu look in the direction allowing him to see a small settlement just a bit over the forests.

_''Demon Village,_ quite a strange name don't you think kid?'' he said as Natsu's eyes widened at the name, he'd never heard of the village before in his time with Fairy Tail, but he figured someone would have mentioned a village with such a peculiar name. But, for some reason he felt a shiver go down his spine as the name resounded in his head.

He was sure he hadn't heard it before...

_'At least I think so...'_

* * *

''Welcome! So glad you could make it, we were starting to low on resources, until you arrived.'' spoke the voice of the village's trade depot manager. The carriage driver merely tilted his hat in response before he got off his carriage with some effort. ''You're welcome, we had a bit of a rough ride up here so we were behind schedule.''

''I see I see, that's quite alright, I'm sure the townsfolk will be quite happy with what we've got and in such a abundant bulk too especially the wool and meat that's gonna last us the winter.''

Watching the two from the carriage, Natsu jumped out catching the attention of the manager who blinked in curiosity before he looked at the old man ''Ah, who' the kid? A stowaway?'' he said making Natsu narrow his eyes, but disregarded him as he looked at the town he stopped in. It wasn't overly large nor was it too small, it seemed like a moderate sized town with most of the houses closely built next to each other. Which mostly likely meant the community was pretty close-knit.

''Nah, the kids traveling with us for the next few days. Plus he makes up for it by pulling his own weight with the merchandise. And I know what you're thinking, but let me tell ya the kid is pretty strong, stronger than some of our men.'' he said making the manager raise an eyebrow before glancing at Natsu.

''I see well while you unpack I'll see if I've received any news about the road ahead.'' he said making the old man nod.

''Well let's get this unpacked and we'll be on our way. Natsu! Let's start unpacking!'' the pink haired boy blinked and looked at him before giving a nod. ''Alright!''

As they started to unpack the manager returned with a rather deep frown on his face. ''I'm afraid I've got some bad news for you, the trail up ahead has become too dangerous for travel due to a severe blizzard. It's been closed for the next few days until the storm dies down, so I'm afraid you'll have to stay here until then.

The old man seemed to deflate at that, but year's in his line of work had made him used to this type of setback, he let out a sigh before he turned to Natsu. ''Well kid, it seems we'll be stuck here for a bit so why not go and try find us an Inn while we finish here, hm?'' hearing this Natsu frowned, but nodded. He wasn't happy that was having a setback on his journey, a bunch of snow never bothered him as his own natural body heat melted all the snow in his vicinity. But he had to take into account for others that weren't like him.

''Right...'' and with that Natsu set off, and as he walked away from the main road and into the street's he took in the scenery of the town. Apparently there was a few districts that were similar to how Magnolia was. Districts for all types of buildings and offices such as Residential, Urban, Trade, Official and Judiciary, and even Sorcery/Wizardry. But from what he could see this village didn't have that only a residential, urban and trade district with only an official building that dealt with all the happenings in and outside the village.

He passed by an old cathedral church and stopped as a strange feeling came over him as he looked at the old church building. Just looking at him gave him a very strange vibe, and his gut feeling told him it wasn't an entirely good one either. Shaking his head, Natsu kept going as he ignored the feeling altogether.

''Ehh this village feels pretty dull.'' he said as he pushed his hands into his pockets. Since the Tower, Natsu had taken to getting himself some new clothing, it wasn't much though since he took to buying it with some jewels he took off the corpses of the guards. Currently he just wore a pair of red trousers that reached a few inches below his knee's with black trimmings while on his feet he wore simple black sandals. On up he wore a long sleeved waist coat with black trimmings while a leather belt was tied around his waist. It was similar his clothing before in his old future, but had luckily found clothing for his size that was in a similar fashion.

And he quite liked the color of black and red, it resembled his magic more then most would believe.

However he lacked the one thing he was always known to carry which was his trademark scarf which was gifted to him by his foster father Igneel. Since it had been destroyed when he merged with his other self he was left with nothing to cover his neck. It honestly made him feel naked without it since it had been apart of him for so long. Which was why he found a suitable substitute in the form of a white scaled pattern scarf that wrapped around his neck and hid the small scar on the right side of his neck. It wasn't the scarf he used to have, but it was similar so he was okay with that.

Sighing, Natsu put his arms behind his head as he continued to walk down the street's. Somewhat greeting others who greeted him back, but overall he just wasn't all in the mood to deal with other people.

But as he made his way through the trade district and into the residential district a distinct scent caught his nose and he stood up straighter as the scent got stronger. And soon as the sound of laughter rang true in his ear's his eyes widened as a pair of three children ran past him, with the color of white filling his eyes. And Natsu's onyx eyes widened in shock before he turned to see a pair of three very familiar looking children running down the streets.

Before he knew it his body was already running towards them and soon enough he caught up to find them around the corner walking towards a rather rundown home that seemed to have seen better days. He could see them ore clearly now from the corner, it was three siblings all having the same color of pure white hair, one was a boy and the other two were girls.

He felt a stinging sensation of tears begin to pool in his eyes, but he blinked them away as he realized who it was he was seeing. A smile that could have lit up the darkest corners of the world stretched his face.

''Mirajane, Lisanna and Elfman...I've found you guys.''

He didn't know if it was his luck or what, but he'd found the next people he wanted to find...

The Strauss Siblings!

What he didn't know was of the chaos that was about to be unleashed...

* * *

''KYYYYYYYAAAAAHHHH!''

Springing up, Natsu's eyes snapped open in shock as a shriek of terror echoed amongst the village, it was so loud that it awoke the others in the Inn, but he paid no heed as he ran towards the window and opened it up. Looking outside he saw it was still midnight out as he stared out among the village before he caught sight of a red glow to his left and he turned to see a large gathering around the old cathedral.

Narrowing his eyes, his enhanced vision seemed to zoom in from where he was and what he saw made him feel tense. The villagers rallied around the church doors with torches, pitchforks, axes to knifes. And it was then a scent caught his nose and his eyes narrowed in question as he tried to decipher it.

''That smell it's...familiar, but yet not what is this...'' seeing a flicker of motion downwards he looked see another group of villagers running towards the church and decided to find out what's going on.

''Oi! What's going on?!'' he questioned and one of the villagers stopped to look up at him. For a moment he saw the village girl hesitate before speaking.

''A demon has been sighted at the church and from what I heard the Strauss siblings are trapped inside!'' she said making Natsu's eyes widen in shock. A tremor of apprehension and anger rose up within his being before his fingers clenched onto the window sill causing the wood to crack and the metal to creak under the pressure.

_'Dammit!'_ onyx eyes flashed red in the darkness and as the woman blinked a confused expression formed on her face when the boy she was talking to was no longer at the window. ''W-what? Where did he go?''

_'Please be safe please be safe please be safe please be safe!'_ Natsu continued his mantra as he hopped along the rooftops that made him resemble nothing more than a blur. To the trained eye he would have been just a blur as each time he landed rooftops cracked under the pressure and others gave way when he pushed off. His pushed himself as fast as he could to cross the village and reach the church. The tremors shook his body as the wind ruffled his hair, but he paid no heed as his now glowing eyes which were flashing between cold onyx to a furious crimson glared upon the church.

Their deaths...he remembered it...

They had been the ones to die together when he merged with other self, he could still remember their cries, Elfman's scream as his power tore him apart and Mirajane and Lisanna's tears at what he'd become. It tore him apart, but his resolve hardened he couldn't lose this time, not now and not _ever_.

_'It will kill me if I lose any of them...if I lost Mirajane or Lisanna...I...I don't know what I'll do. Elfman I know would fight tooth and nail like he always does, but something in the air isn't right. Something is definitely wrong!'_

The thought made his worry grow and he unconsciously channeled his power into his legs causing the darkness to swirl up into his legs. Then in a incredible boost of speed, Natsu landed on another roof before jumped, vanishing into nothing causing the house to crumble from the pressure of his jump as he hurled himself at the church. He ignored the screams of the villagers as he flung his body through the church roof without a moments hesitation.

**Crash!**

What awaited him was a barely lit auditorium to which Natsu flipped and landed on his feet making it crack under the pressure. But when his hand touched the floor his hand came in contact with something that was sticky and smelt of iron, it was too dark to see however his scent was all he needed. His eyed widened in alarm before he conjured a small flame on his finer give him a light to see what he feared.

And there it was, blood coated the church floor...

_'Oh god please no...'_

''Uwa...no...no...'' hearing the cries Natsu's blood ran cold and he quickly ran to the source which was in the corner of the auditorium and when he came upon the scene, his blood truly did freeze.

There laying on the floor was Mirajane in a black raincoat covered in blood, _her blood. _His eyes soon cut too Lisanna who was bawling her eyes out as she held the bleeding form of her older brother, Elfman, who was bleeding heavily from the chest.

_Oi..._

This had to be a joke...

''W-w-wake up Elf-nii-chan, Mira-nee-chan!'' Lisanna's cries ripped into Natsu's very soul as she remained oblivious of his presence. All she cared for was of her two downed seemingly dead siblings bleeding on the floor. Natsu's hands quivered as he kneeled down to Mira's prone form and took her small frail, cold and clammy hand in his own and what he saw the wounds inflicted on her made his self-control slip.

_'….I smell it...it's still here...'_

The presence within Natsu's mind awakened with a frown of unease as the violent tremors from before went silent. They were soon replaced with a cold fury that which had only been seen when...

_**'This should be interesting...'**_

''Mira...'' Natsu whispered her name, gently he picked her up and walked towards Lisanna who by now noticed his presence and flinched. But he remained ignorant of this as he gently placed Mirajane beside the terrified little girl. He stayed there for a moment cupping Mira's cheek in his own hand and as he felt the warmth fade from her flesh he felt himself descend into the darkness.

_Why...why her...hadn't she suffered enough?!_

_Why dammit why!_

_WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU PLAYING AT GOD!_

_**'Find that cretin...make it squirm and beg for death's sweet embrace for doing this!'**_

His persona yelled within his mind and he could only agree before he leaned toward her and touched his forehead with her.

''Don't you dare die on me...I cannot lose you again...'' he mumbled to himself hoping on some level that Mira could hear him, but he knew it was futile at this point.

''W-who are you?'' Lisanna asked him and he couldn't respond as he turned his back to her. For a moment they stayed in silence before he let out a feral growl that petrified the young Strauss.

''...Stay with them, Lisanna...'' was all he could say before he walked further into the darkness, inching closer to the altar to which he felt the demonic presence grow stronger and stronger. And just as he reached the top of the steps he narrowed his eyes as the shadows quivered before he felt a presence slink towards him.

**''You smell different from those mortal children.''** it spoke and Natsu's face remained emotionless with only the cold fury brimming barely behind his shadowed eyes. The darkness around him quivered and trembled from his temper and the heat from his body began to increase.

He didn't speak as the presence came closer...

**''Hm, infact you smell similar to us. You have the scent of our...master? Who are you, child!?''** it spoke with a hiss, commanding him to answer, daring to demand him, _him_, to answer to such a worthless cretin as this?

…...

_How amusing..._

Natsu merely chuckled as the presence came closer before it was within inches before him, the stench of the demon was putrid, but it didn't effect Natsu the slightest as began to let out a hollow chuckle. His anger seemed to dissipate into thin air as the demon crept closer to him, seemingly confused by the sudden change in the boy's demeanor.

**''What is so funny, child? Do you not fear death? Have you gone insane from your fear of me?''**

And at that Natsu suddenly stopped before he slowly looked upwards revealing his eyes to the demon, the demon in question wasn't anything special. It looked similar in appearance to Mirajane's Take Over: Satan Soul appearance. Only it was male, and had a much larger muscular build, and it lacked the large black wings. It's fish like arms clenched while it's large black scaly tail swished back an forth while it's head stared down at Natsu. It had the face of a mixed breed between a bull and a man which gave an inquisitive expression as it took a whiff of Natsu's scent.

The sheer sight of this thing would have made any other mage fleeing in fear, despite the consequences.

But Natsu was no "any other mage' let alone was he a mage to begin with.

And what the demon saw in the boys eyes was enough to make it's eyes eyes widen in alarm when he saw a pair of glowing crimson slitted orbs glaring back at him. They froze him in place and pierced his very soul, an inferno of unquenchable hatred and rage burned within his eyes. A power so familiar to it, that sweat began to pour from it's head as it's blood began to run cold. Realization slowly dawned on the demon as it looked into Natsu's unholy gaze and it was only then, in that stare down that the demon took a shaky step back.

To which Natsu took a step forward in return...

**''W-w-wait those eyes i-i-it can't be! The masters themselves said you had died! Why...why are you here?!''** the once fierce demon now resembled nothing more than a whimpering dog at the feet of it's master. It was quite a sight really, a 12 foot tall demon backing away fright to a 7 year old boy.

But no one besides the demons of old could understand his terror, no one had lied to witness the life of Zeref's greatest demon unfold. No one could understand the feeling of primal terror that shook the demon's soul as he looked into the eyes of which only belonged to one entity. The eyes of a being that stood above all of Zeref's creations and was akin to a God to them in every sense of the word. Terror filled his being as what arrogance he had was wiped clean before the eyes of the one who shook the world so long ago.

_**''Your masters? I could careless for your pathetic masters, my presence in this world is of no concern to a demon that is about to die...''**_ he spoke, his voice altering into one a rough and deeper version, nothing a child of his appearance should have. But it seemed to freak the demon out even more as he took more steps back, stumbling as his fear began to take root.

**''W-w-wait, why? Why would you want to kill me?! Aren't we brethren? Why would you want to kill us, why-''** he was interrupted as Natsu vanished in a burst of speed and appeared at his legs. Fire of the deepest crimson ran along his forearm before he swung it like a blade creating a crescent like blade o fire to shoot out from his arm.

_**''As I said, I don't need to explain myself to a demon that's about to die...''**_ he stated, as the crescent blade of fire cut through he demon's legs like butter before it continued destroying the altar and cleaving through the backside of the church. And in a burst of gore and cauterized flesh the demon's two giant legs were severed.

**''AAAAGGHHH!''** it roared out in agony, but Natsu showed no mercy for the creature as it fell to the floor with only it's arms to catch itself from completely meeting the cold unforgiving ground. It's eyes were wide in fright as Natsu came toward it before desperation filled it's being before it channeled it's power and flung his hand toward the boy and shouted.

**''Soul Extinction!''** ti called out, making Natsu's eyes widen as the demon utilized one of Mirajane's most powerful attacks. But his surprise didn't last as he knew if he tried to dodge it than the Strauss siblings would be hit. He didn't even register I the town's people got hurt because all that mattered to him was the Strauss siblings safety. So he stood still eyes narrowing into the incoming attack, standing his ground even as the church trembled under the force of the attack's initial release. The giant purple beam of darkness came hurtling toward him with no small amount of force, but amidst it's shadow overcoming Natsu's own. The boys eyes flashed a darker shade of crimson before the beam hit him.

**''HAHAHA! That was too easy!''** the demon shouted, the fear he once held began to ebb away at he witnessed his easy victory over a child that at one point terrified him. He mentally reasoned that he was just seeing things and left it that, after all his master's had said _that_ entity died long ago.

''Kyaah!'' Lisanna let out a scream as the beam seemingly consumed Natsu's form, fear overtook the small girl's frame as she thought what last bit of hope they had died in that attack.

Only it wasn't...

**''Wait...why hasn't it exploded yet? This church and the town should be a giant crater by now! What's going on?!''** the demon spat as he looked upon his attack hadn't exploded when it impacted with the boy. Instead was just staying in place as if it was being blocked by something. It was only then when it narrowed it's eyes into the attack he saw the boy's small frame still within the dark magical beam. And as he saw the attack become smaller and smaller, that fear returned in full force as he saw what the boy was doing to his attack.

_**'I-is he...absorbing my attack?!'**_

Indeed it looked that way as the boy's body absorbed his attack, pulling in it's dark energies into his body until all that remained was the boy himself. The only sigh of the attack that had been there was the path of destruction it left in it's wake. Looking toward the boy, the demon's eyes dilated in terror as he saw a purplish glow outline his body just before the boy's eyes met him again.

Soulless orbs of the purest crimson pierced his very soul and rooted his body on the spot.

**''By Zeref...it really is you, isn't it?''** the demon muttered as Natsu walked toward him with no halt in his stride, the darkness around him began to morph and follow at Natsu's will. It seethed and took the form of a giant mass of never ending darkness that consumed all light and creation in his path as he walked toward the demon with no amount of fear in his eyes. Only a cold fury smoldering beneath his eyes, brimming with hatred and a power that threatened to tear apart his very soul.

**''It is isn't! Haha...hahaha...HAHAHAHA!''** the demon broke into a fit of insane laughter as Natsu strode up to it and when he was witch grasp of him his hand lashed out gripped onto his neck. His fingers digging into his throat easily before he effortlessly lifted the legless demon off the floor, his red slitted eyes staring deep into the demons own, there was no glare, no murderous gaze only a soulless stare that promised nothing, but untold suffering.

_**''I have nothing to say to a dead demon...''**_ was all Natsu said before his nails changed into claws piercing the demons jugular and cutting him off from speaking. The demon clawed as his hand to try and free himself, but Natsu didn't any flinch from it's feeble attempts as reached with his other hand and placed it on the demon's skull.

_**''Now suffer...Anguish!''**_ he proclaimed his attack and in a halt of movement the darkness froze before shot toward the demon, by passing Natsu as the demon swirled around the demon. And as it began to engulf him, a multitude of razor sharp mouths and glowing red eyes formed in the darkness. Upon seeing this the demons eyes widened in fright, but could only let out a strangled gurgle cry of mercy.

Natsu would have none of that and he watched as the one who dared to hurt his friends, who _dared_ to lay a hand on Mirajane called for nothing, but a slow torturous death. Die an agonizing death as the darkness engulfed it;s being and slowly tore him apart, piece by piece, ripping away at his flesh and bone, gorging on it's organs as the darkness consumed it's soul and dragged it into the never ending abyss. This was a mercy compared to what he wished to do, but he needed to get the Strauss siblings out of here.

Finally he let go what remained of the demon, the darkness wilted away revealing nothing, but dust and a giant blood splatter on the ground. However his eyes caught a giant thick book of where the demon once was an he kneeled down to look at it. Looking at the title o the book he narrowed his eyes as he read.

_'Doomguard...hmph'_ letting out a small growl he snapped his fingers creating a spark which soon ignited the book in a azure flame. It's heat burning away at one of the millions of other books of Zeref and as it burned Natsu turned his back on it as he walked toward the Strauss siblings willing away his changed so he didn't scare Lisanna more than she already was. As he made it way to them he quickly knelt down and threw Elfman over his shoulder and picked up Mirajane in a bridal carry.

_'They've lost a lot of blood, but I can still feel their heartbeat, but it's slowing...I need to hurry!'_

''Hurry, we need to leave. We can still save your siblings, now come Lisanna.'' he said making the youngest of the three siblings snap at attention. Seemingly surprised to see him there all of sudden surprised her, but she could only scramble to her feet as Natsu walked toward the church door's with a stuttered. ''H-hai!''

As they reached the door's Natsu lashed out and licked them open causing the crowd outside the scream out in shock, but he paid no heed as he yelled.

''Oi! Get me a doctor now! They need help!'' he yelled causing the crowd to stand there for a second in bewilderment before a doctor pushed his way through.

''I'm a doctor, hurry follow me!'' said a older man and Natsu quickly followed after him with Lisanna in tow. A heavy downpour settled upon the village, soaking Natsu to the bone, but as he carried Elfman and Mirajane to the doctor he never noticed the slight opening of Mirajane's dull blue eyes. The rain pelted at her skin, but through her blurry vision and the sound of muffled shouts and the scent of iron she could make out being carried in the arms of someone. Opening her eyes just a tad more, though it proved to be immensely taxing for her she made out the appearance of a boy that was could only be a bit older than her.

_'W-w-who...are you?'_

But exhaustion overcame her and darkness overcame her once more...

In the local hospital the doctor was quickly stitching up their wounds and hooking them up to the machines, but Natsu watched in alarm as the doctors rushed in and out of Mirajane's room. He had Lisanna sit in the lobby as he took her two siblings in the back. As he watched the proceedings he leaned his face into the palm of his hands and let out a shuddering sigh.

_'Everything's gone out of control...will it be like this everywhere I go?'_

''What?! I thought we just got a new shipment in today, are you telling me there wasn't a single packet of what we need?!'' suddenly he heard the doctor shout and he stood up and ran into Mirajane's room. Pushing aside the nurses and others that tried to stop him as he rushed in he heard the faintest of what they were discussing.

''I-I'm sorry sir, but we've done a thorough check and we have found any.'' the intern said causing the doctor to curse before he noticed Natsu standing in the room. ''Oi, what are you doing in here kid? Didn't I tell you to wait outside?'' he said, but Natsu only looked from Mirajane's form and to the doctor.

''What's wrong? What are you lacking?'' he asked causing the old man rub his forehead.

''….Blood...we lack the specific blood for Mirajane. She's lost too much and if we don't find some for her soon she'll die of blood loss.'' he said with a blunt manner, but you could see the pain on his face and the frustration within him at helpless he felt at the moment. But upon hearing this Natsu eyes widened in alarm before he looked to Mirajane, than to her heart monitor which was slowly growing less faint as the seconds rolled by.

''Tell me what's her blood type?'' he asked his eyes still on Mirajane's form, and the doctor took a moment to stare at the 10 year old boy with a look of apprehension before finally speaking.

''She has a Rh factor of AB-, and we don't have that blood with us right now and her other sibling is too young to undergo a transfusion.''

It didn't take a moment for Natsu as he turned to the doctor with a determined look. ''Than give her mine, my blood is also AB-.'' he said, which was true since the multiple times he was treated by Wendy she always mentioned his unique blood type. The doctor would have said no, but when he saw the boy's eyes he knew he couldn't refute the boy in anyway. Letting out a sigh he nodded and led him to another bed in Mirajane's room.

''Very well.''

* * *

''Mmnnngh...'' a small groan escaped the lips of one 8 year old Mirajane Strauss, her blue eyes twitched before creaking open revealing her dazzling blue eyes to the world. The bright rays of the morning sun welcomed her in it's warmth thus allowing her to see the world she woke too. Her vision was cloudy and the scent of medicine filled her nose and the scenery of white was all she could see.

As her vision cleared she could find herself laying in a bed with a white blanket over her, the beeping sound of hospital machines rang true and for a moment she just laid there. Her blue eyes looked up at the ceiling in a dull fashion.

_'I-I'm in the hospital? But why? What happened last night?'_ the memory escaped her, but when she went or reach for her face instead of feeling her normally smooth hand she felt a hard and distinct scale-like structure and she yanked her hand away to see what had happened. And what she saw made her eyes widen in shock and fright as she was what had once been her normal human hand, was now a giant clawed arm that reached to her elbow.

''W-what is this?!'' she let out a surprised shout of fright. Her slight jump made her feel a sudden weight her right side and she looked only to her surprise she saw none other than a boy. A boy that was asleep at the head of her hospital bed with his head on the mattress and arms crossed. His long pink spiky hair was all she could see from besides his slightly tanned complexion, but she only stared at him in surprise before he began to awake.

_'W-who is this guy?'_

''Ugh...'' the boy at her bed let out a tired yawn before he sat up allowing the young girl to see the face of one Natsu Dragneel who opened his eyes only for them to meet hers. For a moment the two sat in silence, azure meeting onyx as a wide range of emotions flew through the boy's eyes. But above all what she saw was an immense amount of relief.

''Are you okay Mirajane?'' Natsu broke the silence between the two and the young girl blinked a few times as she adjusted to her surroundings.

''Y-yes I'm fine...'' she asked and her words though caused Natsu to give a relieve smile in return. For a moment Mirajane just stared at him before finally speaking, ''Um...who are you? How do you know my name?''

Natsu at this blinked before shrugging, ''My name is Natsu, and I learned you name from some of the villagers. I'm just a traveling kid is all.'' he said, not seeing any real point in not telling her his first name. He gave Erza his first name, but his last will remain a secret until such a time he felt it was needed to be known. Unless of course, Erza doesn't try to ring it out of him first.

''Oh...'' the white haired girl replied as she glanced at the boy every now and then to which he took in stride before he spoke. ''Well, do you remember what happened last night?'' he said glancing down at hr changed arm and she blinked again before she looked back down at her arm.

Then it came rushing back to her...

''Y-yeah the village was being tormented by a demon that had taken residence in the abandoned church, and having felt that I got a good grasp control on my magic. I went to try and take over the demon with my magic, but the demon's power proved to be far too great for me. During the encounter I remember my...my siblings having come in, and when the demon went to attack them I just remembered jumping in the way...'

Suddenly her eyes widened in alarm and she sat up only let out a brief yell of pain as jolts of pain coursed through her body. ''M-my siblings, are they okay? Are they safe?'' she let out only for a warm hand to gently push her back down causing her to look at Natsu who was still smiling at her. The warmth of his hand proved to be almost unnatural as it spread throughout her chilled body and made her feel at ease from the contact.

''Don't worry, they're safe and sound. Your brother suffered some minor injuries but he's gonna live and your sister is fine. So don't worry and rest, you deserve it.'' he said, his words were soothing to the Eldest Strauss as she fell deeper into her bed as her eyes stared long into his black ones. Han she looked at her arm with a frown causing Natsu to mimic her expression as a sign of worry.

''And what about..._this?_'' she felt almost disgusted with how her arm was, a result of her lack of control over her Take Over magic had left her arm the way it was and she wasn't sure how to return it back to normal. But she felt the boy's hand hand on that arm and that same amount of warmth seemed to double in intensity as he let out a hum of thought.

''This can easily be fixed, just close your eyes and imagine your normal arm back in it's place, it will return to you.'' he said, taking note of what his Mirajane that he grew up with told him about Take Over Magic. And the Mirajane before him seemed to take in his words and did as told, slowly but surely her arm began to return to normal and when it fully turned back and she opened her eyes to see the result of it she looked back at him win amazement.

''How did you...?'' she asked only chuckle from the boy.

''Let's just say I know a thing or two about magic.'' he said with cheeky grin that for some reason made her laugh at, but it wasn't one of mocking, but a genuine laugh which made him all the happy to see after what she just went through.

_''Why do we still have her here, Doctor? Did you not see what her hand had become? It was just like that demons! She's a monster as well!''_ a nurse whispered behind Mira's door as they neared her door. The young girl flinched at the words, but the boy's hand landed on her head ruffling her long white hair, filling her body once against in a protective warmth. Blinking she looked at the boy she was sporting a small grin.

''Don't worry, they are just ignorant, blind to how truly amazing your power is. Your no monster, and don't think for a moment you're possessed. You just wield an incredibly unique power that only you can wield to it's greatest capacity.'' he stated the truth of the matter and she seemed to take his words to heart as an embarrassed blush colored her cheeks.

''….Why do you think that?'' she asked in a timid manner, it was the first time she ever had a boy talk her like this and it felt refreshing in a way to have someone around her age that supported her for once.

Seeing her state of unease Natsu sighed, ''Because I see it in you, I see lots of potential in you and your resolve to try and take over a demon was nothing short of spectacular. I know without a doubt you'll go far, but you'll go even further if you and your siblings left this place to join a mage guild.'' he said causing her to look at him with surprise before she looked down at her hands.

To be honest she had thought about it, her parents died when she was young and had taken it upon herself to raise her two younger siblings on her own. Although she didn't show it, she was so very tired both mentally and physically exhausted and coupled with the fact her awakening her magical power she felt she had reached the limit of what she could handle. There was only so much withstand before reaching her limit and right now she felt like she hit that limit.

''But where could I even go? Who would take us take in?'' she asked, desperate for an answer as hr mind just drew a blank and at this Natsu smiled before he reluctantly removed his hand from her causing the warmth she felt from him fade. Inwardly she felt a bit disappointed at that as he dug into his pocket and pulled out a small piece of paper. Handing it to her he replied, ''I know of only one guild that would welcome any and everyone no matter what their past was like. They'll treat you and your siblings like family and the guild master will help you in anyway he can.'' he said as Mira hesitantly took the parchment from his hand and slowly unfolded it to see what it held.

And she saw a drawing of a insignia of a white fairy shaped design with a little scribble below.

''..._F-Fairy Tail_?'' she questioned, looking up at him with a quizzical expression, but the boy merely gave a nod as he stretched, popping the kinks out of his body.

''Yup! There stationed in magnolia Town which is about a 3 days ride by train and if you took a station wagon from here you would reach the nearest train station in about half a day.''

Upon hearing that Mirajane looked back at the small insignia and let her small fingers run over it before a troubled expression appeared on her face. ''….Are you sure they'll take me in? Besides I don't think I can pay for all that.'' she said only making Natsu chuckle before turned around and went digging into a bag on the floor at her bedside. Soon enough he pulled out a small slip of paper to which he folded and placed in her palm before closed her hand with his own. Looking up at her he gave a grin revealing his pearly whites and sharp canines before speaking.

''If you are truly willing to go, then go to the station manager in the village and said I sent you, he'll give you and your siblings a free pass out to the nearest train station. Exchange this for the jewels and you'll have plenty to pick you up on your feet.'' he said making her blink in confusion and when she tried to open her hand she felt someone flick her nose.

''Ow~'' she let out a small cry as tears threatened to leak out from her eyes, looking at him with a soft heated glare he merely laughed at her expression before he ruffled her hair with his trademark cheeky grin.

''Nuh uh! Don't open that until you're out of the village. Now I need to go and deal with a few things around the village.'' he said as he let go of Mira and turned around and headed for the door. But just as he grasped the doorknob Mirajane's voice halted him.

''Wait! I need to know...why...why are you being so nice to me? A complete stranger? I don't even know you and yet you're helping me so much...Why help me?'' she asked the question that pegged at her the most. Of all the things that made her curious about the boy, it was this one thin that stood above the rest, why did he go out of his and help her out so much? They didn't know each other that long nor did have any obligation to help her, as far as she was concerned that is, why did a complete stranger help her?

The answer she got was not what she was expecting...

Natsu lowered his head for a moment, the bangs of his hair shadowed his eyes, but the grip on the door tightened before he finally gave her an answer.

''Because...I don't want you to suffer anymore, you never had anyone to rely on, but yourself. You have to support yourself and your siblings alone and now that this has happened it will only make it more difficult for you. It will _kill me_ to watch you suffer any longer...that's why I'm helping you; you shouldn't have to shoulder the burden alone.'' he spoke to which made her eyes widen more and more before he looked at her with a solemn expression. His onyx eyes for a moment, just a moment showing an amount of pain that it made her flinch from the amount he held within him.

''Anyway, I'll see you around, I need to go finish up a few things around the village. Take care of yourself, Mirajane Strauss.'' and with that said he opened the door and as he did he smiled as two white blurs shot passed him and jumped into Mirajane's bed with a cry.

''NEE-CHAN!''

''Woah! Elfman, Lisanna it's okay calm down...I'm okay I'm okay...'' the eldest Strauss began to soothe her crying siblings, but for a moment she glanced at Natsu who could only smile at the scene before she mouthed something to him which he returned with a nod.

_'Thank you...'_

Walking out of the door, Natsu's expression melted away revealing only a cold expression before his eyes slowly glanced to his right where he saw the doctor and a couple of nurses. All of which were staring at him as if he were poisonous by being in contact with Mirajane. To see their stares for some reason really ticked Natsu off.

_**'Human ignorance can go so far...'**_

_'But my patience can only take so much...'_

''What the fuck are you staring at?'' was the snarky remark Natsu gave them before he began to walk off, but before he left he turned his head and gave them a side glare which for some reason froze them.

''Also, if I hear any of you causing trouble for Mirajane or her siblings..._I won't hesitate to burn your village to the ground.''_ his voice turned cold as his eyes coal black eyes stared them down and for a moment, just a single moment those full grown adults felt as I they were being stared down by the 10 year old boy who for some reason felt a whole lot damn taller.

''O-of course!'' the doctor stuttered, replying for his petrified colleagues and Natsu merely stared him for a good long agonizing minute before scowling then he walked off leaving behind a terrified bunch of doctors and nurses behind him. You could scorn him, because shrug it off and deal with it and throw it back in your face two-fold, but so much as insult or endanger his friends? Then he wouldn't hesitate to bring down the full wrath of hell upon you.

''Good...''

* * *

Natsu had to sigh, it had been a long 3 days since he arrived in Demon Village, 3 days since he found Mirajane and her siblings and 3 days since he saved them from the demon at the Church. Since than he'd taken to making sure the Strauss siblings were save and sound after the whole ordeal, of course rumors had spread about what became of Mirajane and what happened to her arm. So he had to personally quell their rage at times whey they gathered around her home, you may be wondering how he would do that.

Well he just beat the mob of ignorant adults into a bloody pulp and sent them on their merry way with a good ass kicking.

Of course there were consequences for doing that, but he didn't seem to care in the slightest, all he cared about was their safety. The villagers life's on the other hand mattered little to him especially if they were trying to start something with Mirajane. Although he was confused as to why Mirajane always stared him with such a deep blush that he figured for a moment she was sick or something.

_**'...I swear sometimes you can be the most dense person on the face of this planet.'**_ his inner persona mocked him causing Natsu to give out a snarl.

_'And what the hell is that supposed to mean, ya bastard?'_ he spat back, but the voice merely let out a chuckle before going silent. Giving a mental curse he let out a sigh as he got ready to leave Demon Village with the trade/merchant train in tow. The severe blizzard ahead had lessened to allow free passage so the guys were taking this chance to go and so he to get ready to go.

''Are we all ready to go?!'' the old man shouted getting a chorus of "Yes sir!"

Seeing this Natsu released a sigh, he hadn't said goodbye to Mirajane and the others since he felt that he shouldn't. She still hadn't left yet, but he hadn't told her he was leaving and he preferred to keep it that way. It was best he didn't involve himself with her any more than he needed to.

But fate seemed to have other idea's...

The only warning Natsu had was the quickly incoming scent of vanilla before he felt someone collide with him.

''Woah!'' his eyes flew wide as Mirajane Strauss clad in her black coat from before wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. It was only then Natsu realized who it was as a pair of familiar azure blue eyes stared back at into his black eyes. Her extra weight didn't seem to bother him, but the closeness between him and her _did_.

''Uh...Mira?'' he called out before she leaned her forehead against his.

''Why didn't you tell me you were leaving, hm?'' she asked her voice was just a bit too overly sweet for him and if he had been the man he once was he would have shrinked in fear, but as of now he just didn't find Mira to be as scary as he used to. If anything he found her to be more adorable than anything remotely terrifying.

''….I forgot?'' he lied and she knew it too, but she surprised him when instead of questioning him she merely smiled and let go of him, but still had her arms around his neck. Be forced to look down at her since he was a good few inches taller than her, he was made to see her blue eyes-_Had they always been that beautiful?-_and for a moment the two stayed that way until Mira finally spoke.

''...Alright, but I just wanted to let you know we were leaving as well.'' she said pointing at her suitcase of what belongings she wanted to take and beyond that she could see Elfman and Lisanna catching up. But to know she had taken up on the offer he gave made a great sense of relief overcome him to which Mirajane sensed and her smile grew.

''Ah that's good, I promise you'll love it at Fairy Tail.'' the boy said making the girls smile to truly be one of benevolence.

''I'll take your word for it, but before you leave I...I want to leave something for you to remember me by. She hesitated and from the way her cheeks began to darken made him wonder what she had in mind. ''Oh? What would that be?'' he said curious, but cautious of what it could be.

He was not expecting what happened next...

In a blur of movement, Mira leaned forward pulling him down their faces were inches from one another before her lips met his cheek.

_Cap-chu~_

Onyx eyes widened in sheer raw disbelief as Mira gave him a long kiss on his cheek before pulling away revealing her whole face to be dark crimson. But she gave a wink at before turning away. ''Remember that, _Natsu-kun _you're gonna have to take responsibility now, ya know._'' _she said in a happy tune.

''Wha-wha-wha-wha-wha-wha!'' the pinkette stuttered in shock, his cheeks went aflame with a healthy shade of pink at what Mirajane just did.

Because she was turned around he missed her sly smirk and the way her eyes seemed to glow with a dark azure light before it dissipated.

''Off we go then!'' the carriage driver departed pulling a shocked Natsu with him. He could only stare at Mira who turned around to give him a wave with a megawatt smile on her face.

_'W-w-what just happened...'_

_**'That, my very dense oblivious friend, is called flirting. Seems I was right about those feelings you harbored for the demon girl, quite fitting really.'**_

At this point Natsu couldn't even say a word of rebuttal towards the voice as he was carried away, onwards to his next location as he stared at Mirajane's form. There was only one thing running through his mind at this point as she disappeared as they rounded the mountainside.

_'What...the hell have I gotten myself into?!'_

And due to his state of shock Natsu was unaware of the floating crystal ball that was watching him from across the mountain range

* * *

**Done!**

**(Dies on desk soul completely leaving my body)**

**Hope you liked it because I felt a bit...not too sure with this one, I wanted to give a more backdrop and development for Natsu's character. Not sure if I did it well or not tell me in a review if you would be so kind.**

**Soooo What was the memory Natsu saw?**

**What was a book of Zeref doing out there?**

**What's with Mirajane's eyes?**

_**God knows I'm just the fucking author!**_

**Reviews and criticism's are much appreciated, but flames will be ignored.**


	4. Heritage and Revelation

**Needed time to rest, relax and think on the future of this story.**

**It's about to get intense and really mind breaking for all of you. This is shorter than my other chapters, but the next one will be much more fulfilling.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"_I've been known by many names throughout my time. Savior, protector, monster, demon, devil, glutton, harbinger of chaos. But not once...not once have I ever found myself calling someone else...my savior. She saved me from that darkness, an angel helping a devil like me, how ironic." **~Natsu Dragneel**_

**Legend of E.N.D.**

Chapter 3: Heritage and Revelation

"_**Are you sure this is what you want?''**_

A deep rumbling voice sounded within the mind of Natsu Dragneel. The young time traveler frowned at the words of his other persona before peering throw the waves of snow that beat down on him. The rosette haired young man was currently taking residence inside a nearby cave in the mountainous region of the north. The cold didn't affect him as the snow melted before it reached his body, but he had been traveling by foot for the past week without rest. Climbing the mountains and trekking through the northern regions were much more difficult than he anticipated.

So he decided to take residence in a nearby cave, that is after wrestling it from a yeti and throwing said beast off the mountain.

Finally he tore his gaze away from the snow outside and looked forward at seemingly nothing. He had no need for fire to keep himself warm, he was an embodiment of fire itself so his body practically radiated heat. So his black eyes seemingly stared at the darkness of the cave. His long bangs shadowed his black orbs, but it didn't deter his vision as he just stared aimlessly into the darkness. He was deep in thought over what he was to do now and this moment of reprieve gave him the chance to think on his plans.

Plus it gave him the solitude he very much needed now more than ever since his voice had finally alerted him that he had rearranged his old life's memories and was ready to go.

_'You already know my answer to that, I've had 3 years to prepare myself for this moment. Plenty of time to ready myself for whatever I see.'_ he replied in kind. Indeed, it had been 3 whole years since Natsu saved Mirajane and her siblings from the Doomguard in the Demon Village. 3 years of traveling in the northern regions of Earthland, time he spent alone. Training himself, honing his control over his power over his abilities and ones he was reawakening from within himself.

One of which was the very darkness that seemed to settle around him in the cave, it quivered from a movement of his hand.

And he'd spent those three years contemplating and preparing himself for what was to come, he knew that to rearrange his old memories in order would take a lot of time. Which he took advantage of so he could mentally prepare himself for whatever was to come. Two years ago he left the merchant/trade caravan since they were heading back down south, since then he kept himself away from society. Only coming to nearby villages for the most meager of supplies before heading out.

He didn't want to reveal himself to the world, too much attention on him at this point would be counter-productive, he didn't want the Rune Knights from Crocus hunting him down, he'd hate to have to make an enemy out of the Kingdom of Fiore. It was just be troublesome for him and an annoyance at best. This was not counting the fact the Magic Council was already suspicious of his existence due to what he did at the Tower of Heaven 6 years ago, he was also sure that what he did in Demon Village was also told to them.

The thought of the Council made him frown, they were slaughtered in his life down to every member and although he should have felt pity. He couldn't find it in himself to care. He never had much love for the Magic Council or it's divisions. The only one he liked was Yajima due to the old mans support for his former guild and being one of the rare few that supported Fairy Tail when the rest of the Council would have seen fit to have them broken. He didn't exactly hate the council, but he didn't them either. He just didn't care about them or their laws.

But still it would prove troublesome to have them on his heels, given time he could afford some leeway, but as of now he had to be quick and silent in his actions.

He chuckled for a moment if his friends could hear his thoughts right now they'd probably think he wasn't Natsu. The Natsu they knew never did anything stealthy nor did he take the time to contemplate his next move or the result of his actions. But that part of him was crushed and thrown to the winds, he had to grow up and learn when to act and how to do it.

He leaned his back against the stone of his not so humble, temporary as it may be, abode and sighed. 3 years had done an astonishingly a lot to the time traveler, the years were starting to prove to be a big boon in his growth. Both mentally and physically. The time away, without the endless brawls at Fairy Tail and constant partying allowed him to see the world for what it was as he traveled.

And he hadn't liked what he saw...

Poverty was at an all time high in Earthland, especially in the Northern region, those with money and influence dictated the life's of others. Higher taxes made some go to extremes just to scrounge up the next tax pay. Taxes raises given out by Crocus hadn't helped much due to the rise of higher taxes which made it hard for everyone, especially for those out in the frozen tundra. If also didn't help that they were the most vulnerable to attacks from beast and monsters, they didn't have the protection of guilds and mages, or even the protection from the very kingdom they paid taxes too.

It angered him incredibly, but he could do nothing short of making an enemy out of Crocus, and all of Fiore by kicking that little midget, Toma off his throne. In the end he simply helped with what he could give spare jewels to those that needed it the most and "talking" with the tax collectors. The very same collectors that destroyed the homes of families for not having the tax at the time.

They still hadn't found their remains...

Physically, Natsu had grown, _a lot_, the standards of his physical growth wasn't even normal because 3 years ago he looked to be a 10 year old boy. However in these 3 years of traveling alone he seemed to have hit an abnormal growth spurt. His body had grown leaps and bounds making him look like he aged 6 years. It unnerved him to be honest at how fast he was growing since it wasn't natural to have grown so much in just 3 years. However his other persona mentioned it having something to do with his acceptance over who he was and because of his demonic heritage taking effect.

Nevertheless, Natsu took advantage of his growth and began training himself more intensely to rebuild what he once was. His physique was returning to that of wiry muscular frame, but his frame was becoming more balance than it had been before his merge and was allowing for more muscle mass without a loss in his agility. His clothing had been worn out during his growth and he opted with a few pieces of clothing with a black hooded cloak that covered his whole body. It served its purpose by keeping his appearance away from the eyes of society and allowed him more free movement of his actions.

With his hood down, you would be able to see the changes that happened to Natsu in a more accurate manner, his spiky hair had grown much longer than it was because. It fell past his shoulder-blades and was reached his mid-back. His hair was unkempt, he didn't much care how it looked and let it go as it wanted it to be. What baby fat that plagued him as a Fairy tail mage was gone due to being burned away by his demonic heritage. Allowing his face to be more pronounced with a sharp jaw and narrowed eyes.

_**'Hmph, true but are you not currently trying to find that ice brat? Won't this impede on your search?'**_ his persona replied in kind to which made Natsu frown. The voice had a point, he WAS searching for his old rival, Gray Fullbuster, so he help him and send him on his way to Fairy Tail.

The thought of his rival made him wince a bit as a memory of their childhood ran through him. Always picking fights with one another due to their conflicting magical forces and personalities, him picking on Grays tendency to always strip at the most random of times while Gray insulted him for being a flame-brain. It ac tually made him crack a smile at those fond memories.

That is until that smile was wiped clean as the last memory he had of Gray was him tearfully facing him down with the magic he inherited from his father, The Ice Devil Slayer Magic. The magic that was said to be the only thing that could have stood up to him when he merged with his other self, but his flames had been far too strong, far too wild and intense for any magic, even of the opposite element that was meant to slay his kind.

The face of Gray flashed in his mind staring back at him with wide eyes before he too was incinerated by the explosion of his fusion. Remembering the thought made Natsu scowl before he shook his head, ridding himself of those thoughts. What rivalry he once had with Gray died that day and since than he wanted nothing more than to let Gray live a life with Fairy Tail, with Natsu to be there fighting him every chance he got.

That was the main reason he was out here, to search for Gray and lead him to fairy Tail as he did for Erza and Mirajane before him. However recent murmurs of something out in the continent made him tense and ready to spring up in action.

_'Deliora...'_ the very same demon that ransacked Grays village, killed his family and friends and the same demon that his sensei, Ur, sacrificed her life to seal away in her Iced Shell. Worried mutters from refugee's and murmurs from passing travelers indicated that the Demon was rampaging across the mountainous continent. He remembered Gray telling him about the demon and what it had done to him as a child and how it had taken Ur from him and Lyon, how it killed his parents and caused mass mayhem to the world.

Something he could stop from happening...

_'I can give a moment to rest and begin the process of my memory recovery, now would be the best of times before I leave in search for Gray.'_ he replied in kind to the other persona within him who seemed to hum in thought of his words.

_**'True enough, but also keep in mind the long yous tay here the better chance for your little spy to find you.'**_ he asked to which made Natsu frown at. He'd grown aware of someone watching him from afar, but he never could pinpoint where it was coming from. It was as if it was utilizing a magical cloaking spell that kept its magical presence at the bare minimal and invisible to the naked eye.

He'd caught it a few times, but never enough to stop it so he went to trying to hide himself with more effort which proved to be useful as he could escape whoever it was that was scouting him from afar.

_'I'll deal with whoever it is when the time arises, for now I need to do this, no obstructions need to be in my way when I begin.'_ he thought and with a flick of his wrist the darkness of the cave bended at his will and covered the entrance and become one with the rock formations. Becoming like that of a camouflage for the rocky cave, it would prove to evade the one that was scouting him for the time being, plenty of time for him to begin his first trip down his long forgotten memory lane.

Seeing his work done he leaned back and closed his eyes, _'Alright, let it loose...'_

_**''Very well...''**_

And the last vestiges of Natsu's senses blacked out and he soon he found his consciousness succumbing to the eternal dream of his sleep.

* * *

_Upon awakening, Natsu's black eyes narrowed once he grew accustomed to his surroundings. What he awakened to was a wide area of immense forestry that had long since died. Trees were rotted out from their roots and the grass was as dead as the soil he stood upon. He looked up to see the sky only to see it full of black clouds, rolling thunder streaked across its vast ocean of clouds while the air around him seemed to increase in fluctuation._

_'What is this...something feels...wrong.' he said to himself before he began to trek through the woods and as he made his way through he found himself standing before a moderately sized hut of sorts built into the side of a mountain. Feeling this strange feeling pull him in he followed his instinct and went inside. The foreboding feeling grew as Natsu found himself walking past the bare necessities for a single person to have for him or herself. But hanging from the walls was a vast assortment of amulets and necklaces with sigils hanging from the string. He found a bookcase filled to the brim with books, scrolls and ancient tomes that escaped him yet at the same time was familiar to him._

_There a single bed made solely from a pile of hay and a makeshift blanket made from the skinned pelts of bears. _

_However this mattered little to him as he felt the feeling from before grow strong and pull at his soul even more and followed where pulled him to. Leading him down a stone carved staircase that led him downwards into the darkness. The only light was the flickering torches hanging from the walls, but this little light showed up something quite surprising._

_Tens, hundreds, even thousands of multiple diagrams and runic symbols were etched into the walls as he walked down the stair case. They were all etched into the stone with what looked like chalk and each diagram was different from the other, but yet the further he went down the more saw each one shared one distinct similarity._

_And that was of a upside down 5 pointed star..._

_'Levy said something about this star...she said something about it being cursed or something. Having to do with demons and Hell. What was it she called it...the...Pentagram? Yeah that's it.' He kept seeing the pentagram as he went down, it was the one thing each diagram shared._

_**Woosh!**_

_Suddenly he halted, Natsu frowned as a sudden shift in the wind made him stop in his tracks before he looked down into the darkness. The torches all flickered out due to the sudden shift in the wind, but his eyes peered through the darkness as if it was daylight and easily stepped further into the abyss. The change in the wind alerted him and put him on edge due how it was howling, howling like a thousands souls that were damned to the pits of the underworld._

_His ears twitched and his eyes narrowed as he finally reached the bottom of the staircase and what awaited him was not something he was expecting._

_'Zeref...!' he muttered out in shock, indeed the man himself, his arch-nemesis stood just a few feet away from him. However he was ignorant of his presence as he tood before a much larger diagram than the rest. It was most certainly Zeref, but he seemed younger than he remembered. Emotions filled his being when he saw Zeref, but the most dominate flooded his body, and that was **rage**._

_His black eyes narrowed and flashed crimson, glowing with demonic fury,Natsu let out a feral growl as his hair piked out even more influenced by the sudden surge of his hatred and magical power. **''ZEREF!''** he roared out the mans name before charging the man who had caused his entire life to have turned out the way it had. It because of him. HIM! He started it all and it was because of him he lost his friends, if it wasn't for his pet demons, his friends wouldn't have been killed! He wouldn't have made that damned chocie of becoming who he once was._

_It was because of him that he suffered this pain! It was because of him that was going through this hell! It was because of him...that Erza cried..._

_That image flashed within his mind, a painful reminder at his own failure which only seemed to fuel his rage as he charged the black wizards back, but just as he reached him._

_He blinked when he suddenly went through him, he stumbled in confusion mixed with shock before he turned around only to see Zeref still continuing whatever it was that he was doing. As if he didn't acknowledge his presence in the slightest. Blinking dumbly at this, Natsu stood back up as his inner persona spoke to him._

_**'You...are a certified dumbass. Did you forget that you're in a memory? Or did your rage blind you to that fact, hm?'** the voice scolded him made him blink as his rage slowly, but surely subsided while replacing it was a dawning of realization._

_'Oh...'_

_**'Oh? That's all you got to say? Why am I not surprised? Anyway, shut up and pay attention, you're about to witness something very important.'** the voice demanded him and for once Natsu did as he was told, feeling a bit ashamed for exploding like that. Straightening himself, he kept silent and watched at what Zeref was doing._

_He saw it, Darkness swirled around, beckoning at the pale hand of the black cloaked Zeref. Magical power of the most unholy nature was mustered up by this mages will and bended at his command. Death magic and Living magic was conjured at his fingertips, such was the power of the two combining that it caused the chamber of which he was in begin to shake and crack in places. Despite the many barriers and runes he placed inside to ward off the damage._

_The combination of magic turned into waves of a multitude of different colors ranging from black, purple, crimson, gold, blue, white; among others. It waved around the man before it slowly began to swirl around in his palm condensing and compressing, taking the shape of a moderately sized sphere. Swirling with magical power that held no equal and held no limit to its potential, the young man seemed to hold the orb, as if it were its own child before letting it loose from his palm._

_And slowly the sphere fell, more like floated, down onto an elaborate upside down pentagram diagram with 5 torches lit around the elaborate star design. The torches flickered, causing wisps of orange and red to blow up into the air as the sphere slowly floated down into the center of the pentagram where awaiting it was something else._

_It was a vast assortment of objects and vases all of which contained a specific ingredient needed for the spell the black haired man was casting. Each held objects taken from every corner of the world, all for this purpose of his creation, his very first creation. Items that were so invaluable that you could build yourself a Kingdom or two with just one of the few he had acquired in his long search._

_But such things mattered little to him, no the only thing that was important to him was the success of this creation, it was his very first creation. Years of extensive research and training made him feel as if he was ready to defy the will of gods and breathe life through forbidden magic that was long since outlawed by the Gods._

_''Tibi dico, et spiritus ex inferno, et ossa eorum, qui occisi draconum Titanas carnem renasci. Coquite rejuvenate et ceciderunt de sanguine numen, quod movet, et unitas fiat. Et respondendum est, precem meam!'' He spoke in a long dead language lost in the sands of time, but it seemed to do something as the sphere slowly melded into a the center object which was a small casket and soon enough the pentagram seal slowly lit up in a unholy purple light. It lit up the dark chamber as fires from the torch stands threatened to flicker into nothingness._

_Only to burst to life once again, only each fire was of a different shade, one being azure, another the darkest crimson, another jet black with streaks of purple and another being white with streaks of gold. This didn't seem to deter the young man as he continued his long incantation, even as the pentagram began to grow brighter and brighter with each passing second._

_''Veni! Exite, et factus est! Relinquite vincula teque tibi caelestes, aperi oculos tuos, et in anima est, fili mi!'' he said before he took a step back as the pentagram suddenly burst to life in a storm of magical lightning, pitch black bolts of lightning danced across the upside down star before the purple glow slowly, but surely began to turn into a dark crimson. The darkness in the room seemed to be swallowed by the pentagram, even the young mans of power and essence seemed to leave him, more than he had expected as it was absorbed also into the design._

_There was no light at that moment, nothing of significant light was seen only the pitch ebony that flooded the chamber. Only the crimson glow from the pentagram was all that was seen. For a moment the young man thought he had failed, but he was literally brought to his knee's in both exhaustion, and in a surge of emotional upheaval as the gathered objects and ingredients slowly melded with the small casket. The combination of such unholy power and magical energies created a sphere of jet black in the center._

_It didn't last long either..._

_The sphere grew from it's spherical shape becoming taller and more of a oval shape, it was just a the young mans knee's. Suddenly, it stopped its changing before a crack appeared in the oval like dome before another crack appeared. Then another and another before pieces began to fall, hitting the floor and shattering like fragile glass. And what the man saw inside the sphere was a pair of black eyes faintly glowing crimson, staring back up at him curiously. Finally it completely broke apart revealing..._

_A boy..._

_A boy that looked no older than 5 years old standing in the center of that crimson pentagram, tuffs of spiky hair of the darkest crimson fell over his black/red eyes while tear like markings were etched at the ends of his eyes and pointed downwards. He wore nothing to hide his modesty, but the sheer sight of the boy, alive, looking at him, breathing life made the black haired man burst into tears of joy._

_''I did it...I did it I did it I did it.'' he repeated his mantra as he crawled toward his very first creation on his hands and knees, tears streaming down his eyes as he looked into the face of the one who would end his eternal nightmare once and for all._

_''Who...who are you...Who...am I?'' the boy asked the man who could only smile at the boys question before replying in kind as he removed his long tattered black cloak and wrapped it around the boys small naked frame._

_''I am Zeref...and you...your name is...**Etherious**...Etherious Natsu Dragneel, my son.'' the man that is and would be known as the Black Wizard Zeref, he smiled happily as the young Etherious tested his name off the tip of tongue before giving the smallest of smiles to his creator/father._

_And watching from the sidelines the ghostly form of Natsu Dragneel looked on in silence, his black eyes were wide in disbelief while his expression was frozen in shock._

_''This...can't be...''_

_**''But it is, this is how you came to be, it is hard to accept I know, but the fact is right there before you. You were Zeref's first creation, when he was just becoming known as the bane to all of Earthland.''**_

_He knew that, deep down he knew in the very depths of his heart he knew, no matter how much he wished to deny it. The truth was before him, in memories that had been locked away from him. How he was created, who gave him his name and brought him into this world. No matter how much his eyes stung with tears of denial he couldn't deny what he saw._

_''And my name...my true name is...Etherious? He named me Etherious...Natsu...Dragneel.'' it was a mind numbing experience to be sure. But his inner persona took it in stride with a sense of pride._

_**''You are half right, your name is Etherious, but he was not the one who named you. However it is ironic since that name is the origin to all of his other lesser creations. Etherious...is spoken as a term for Zeref's demons, but in reality it all stems from your...very...first...name. Quite fitting really.''**_

_Natsu could only take that with a frown of frustration, but very reluctant acceptance as he watched the scene play out before him. He wished for nothing more than too leave, but he couldn't. Not only was he forced to watch this as his other persona no longer had control over his recovering memories, but he had sworn to himself to remember who he once was. No matter how he ended up in the end, he needed to know._

_And he would be damned before going back on his word._

_So he watched, viewing his first life with the smallest glow of interest in his eyes as he watched himself interact with Zeref, his archenemy, his nemesis, his **father**. For a moment he took notice of the difference in his hair color and the tear like markings at the sides of his eyes, but his other persona seemed to hear his thoughts._

_**'That is what you truly looked like, when you came to existence this was your original appearance before it was sealed away. Your rose colored hair was the only link you once had to your red hair and the tear markings were sealed away with me.'**_

_Natsu hummed, acknowledging that bit of information as he watched the scene play out before him. He was curious about who it was that sealed him away, but he figured his memories would be the one to tell him who it was that did it. He watched as Zeref clothed him and bathed him as a parent should. Even going as far as teaching him how to read and write and talk more fluently. The scene was...strange to him, he wanted to deny what he saw, he wanted to hate it all, but he couldn't deny a feeling of parental warmth from the man whom was and still is, his arch-nemesis._

_'Why...did Zeref do all this for me if I was to be the one to end his life? Why did he care so much about me? Why...?' he thought to himself as he watched Zeref started teaching him the fundamentals of magic and and theories of its craft and history._

_**'….Do you remember the casket that was in the diagram he had laid out amongst the rest of those ingredients?'** his persona seemed hesitant to speak, but he did nonetheless. Natsu nodded at his words and seemed to continue with reluctance._

_**'...Well the reason he acts this way is understandable because you see, that casket held something important to him. That casket housed something that when it was first brought into this world he was filled with absolute joy. It was a life he helped create with another, a woman. A child he helped bring into this world...a child that was to be...his firstborn. His very own flesh and blood son...'**_

_Suddenly a chill crawled up Natsu's spine as he quickly connected the dots and his expression morphed into morbid shock as he watched what was playing out before him. 'No...'_

_**'Yes, it was you, Etherious. The name that was truly gifted to you by your mother. Zeref was happy, truly benevolently happy for the first time in his life, but on the night you were born his emotional state caused his magic to rebuke and strike out uncontrollably. This resulted in his own magic...killing your mother and you.'**_

_The words that were spoken echoed through his eyes as Natsu watched with no small amount of shock, faintly for a moment he could see a scene of something like that play out. Yet it was washed away with own grief and realization that was dawning upon him. He found his throat to be dry and hard to swallow as the truth laid out before him._

_'I'm...I'm his son?'_

_Zeref...was his true father?!_

_**'That incident broke him entirely, he lost his lover the only one that saw past his vile magic and could see the man for who he was. And he lost his own son due to his own lack of control over his magic. It shattered Zeref's beliefs in a God and...he went mad with grief, he fell into darkness. But he forged one resolute ideal in himself and that was so you could breathe life again, even as he caused total anarchy across Earthland. He knew the only one who could stand up to him was his own flesh and blood...which was you.'** he spoke, explaining in detail as to what changed in Zeref and how he went to bringing Natsu back from the grave._

_**'He kept your remains safe and did years of extensive research on necromancy and other types of resurrection spells. Theories on the lost art of Living magic. Until finally he came upon a spell that was forsaken by the pantheon of Gods and was forbidden by the hands of mortals. But he defied them all for your sake and went to lengths that no other father could ever do, just to bring you back.'** he trailed on in memory of the lengths Zeref went too so he could revive his newborn son._

_Upon hearing this information Natsu's eyes became misty while in contrast he felt both sick at what...Zeref had done to bring him back, but also a warmth that he once felt for his foster father Igneel. Slowly, he closed his eyes letting a single tear fall as his persona continued._

_**'He gathered the ingredients needed, mastered the dead language for its incantation and at the moment of your revival it sped up your state of growth by 5 years due to the ingredients that played a apart in your resurrection. This is why he acts like this, because he can for once act like the father he wanted to be. You know...its ironic really, he DID create you with the aid of woman, but he killed you also. Only to bring you back by resurrecting you with the powers of forbidden magic and alchemy.'**_

_Natsu could only nod at this information as he watched himself play and begin to laugh with his...father. The scene was surreal in a sense due to the fact that deep down, when he was but a child, he always wanted to know where he came from. Who were his parents, why did they leave him, where had he come from?_

_Now he had his answer, only his answer was twisted and demented from what he originally wanted._

_Tears of grief fell from his eyes as watched on, he couldn't stop them and he didn't want to, for this moment with only himself he felt like he could shed these tears. One time only, he let himself weep at what he lost, of the fate bestowed upon him by destines wicked nature. He stumbled toward his father, reaching out to him, to try and comfort his father._

_Unexpectingly, his hand hit solid and went wide eyed as Zeref stopped and seemingly looked up at him, peering directly into his eyes, the same black eyes as himself stared back into one another. Before Zeref smiled, revealing a smile of a loving father, pride was evident in his eyes. His mouthed moved in a soundless discussion between himself and his long lost wayward son._

"_I love you, Etherious, my son...''_

_And suddenly his vision went black..._

* * *

Unconscious, Natsu eyes twitched before a single tear filled with emotions such as happiness, sorrow, anger, confusion and regret trailed down his cheek and fell from his face. He muttered only one word as his body started to give off a crimson glow which soon encompassed his entire being.

_''Father...''_

Unknown to Natsu however, outside his cave a spherical object suddenly sensed his fluctuating magic and it quickly began to hone in on his location. It hurled itself through the blizzard before it came upon a mountain just overlooking Natsu's cave. It hovered in the air, held up by its master magical influence. It was camouflaged by the stark white snow that blew harshly in the wend, and the negative zero temperatures did nothing to effect its overall performance.

It began to float downwards until it stopped when it suddenly feel the whole mountain tremble and turned only to see a pair of glowing crimson eyes before a titanic shade stood above. A demonic entity towered over the orb as it climbed its way over the mountain. It seemed to sense its presence, but ignored it entirely as he continued its trek toward the general location of its target.

**''I smell it... where are you!''** the titan like demon roared, its giant blue frame towered over most of the mountains before it beat at the nearby mountain which presumably housed Natsu. It's mane flowed as it roared to the sky, its giant scaled claws dug into the mountain and began to tear it apart as if it were wet paper. Feeling its patience wear thin of not getting to its target the demon opened its maw where it began to charge up a highly compressed beam of condensed magical energy.

**''RARGH!''** the demon roared, forcing out its attack to cleave through the land that held the entire mountain. Cutting through rock and limestone, the giant demon watched in satisfaction as what it smelled fell along with the entire mountain that began to fall down into the snow filled plains below.

* * *

Pain...

_Lots of pain!_

That's the very first thing Natsu felt the moment he felt his consciousness begin to awake to the world of the living.

Pain wracked every part of his body, his whole body felt as if it had been put through a shredder, only to be thrown into the jaws a crocodile. The wind itself made him hiss in pain, it hurt to breath and he could feel a coppery liquid fill his lungs making it hard to even breathe.

_''-e's...alive!''_ he heard muffled screams and shouts which only irritated his heightened sense of hearing than anything, but as his eyes began to creak open he could see someone pulling off the rubble atop of him. His senses thrummed with anguish as whoever it was kept yelling at him.

_''-on't...sleep...!''_

He heard the brief distinction in the voice, it was a _woman_, he thought to which was confirmed as a piece of rock was uplifted off him and he saw a milky white hand reach for from the light. And for a moment...he saw...

''An...angel?''

Indeed, that was what he thought he saw once he found himself looking at through his dim eyes. His black eyes looked into a pair of worried coal orbs, tresses of purple hair fell around her face as she reached for him and began to pull him out of the rubble. This was the last sight he saw before darkness overtook him once again, exhaustion and emotional upheaval left his body at the mercy of this wonderful, beautiful angel that just saved his hide.

He'd have to thank her when he woke back up...

But for now...

Rest...

* * *

**End!**

**Hoped you liked it, this was based off my own creation of theories and my own insane mind and although my mind may very well shatter if it happens in canon, I doubt it will.**

**Now I'm off, reading more into this very interesting light novel Ichibai Ushiro no Daimaou!**

**Translated Incantations used in this chapter:**

**First Incantation: **I call upon thee spirits of hell, thy bones of the slain dragons, grow back flesh of titans. Boil and rejuvenate blood of the fallen deity, move and become one. Answer my call!

**Second Incantation: **Come! Come forth and become one! Relinquish yourself from the celestial chains that bind you, breath in life and open your eyes, my son!


End file.
